Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft hosted an event Thursday with Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox to reassure people of the safety of in-person voting and encourage it, and to inform the public about all their voting options for the upcoming general election in November...

The chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee, Matt Henson, said he has received reports of Trump-Pence yard placards being stolen. “In the last week, three 4-by-8 signs have been taken, including two along Kingshighway,” Henson said...

Voters across Missouri, including dozens of Cape Girardeau County residents, began casting ballots Tuesday in advance of the Nov. 3 general election. Two polling places opened Tuesday in Cape Girardeau County — one at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau and the other inside the county government Administrative Building in Jackson — and will remain open for any registered voter in the county to vote before Election Day...

Kathy Swan didn’t officially concede the Aug. 4 Missouri Senate District 27 primary to declared winner Holly Rehder, but she never asked for a recount of the vote either. When dust cleared from the hotly-contested Republican primary, Rehder had defeated Swan by a margin of 139 votes out of a total of 33,539 cast...

Missouri Secretary of State John R. “Jay” Ashcroft plans to visit Southeast Missouri this week as part of a statewide tour to reassure voters about the safety of in-person voting for the Nov. 3 general election and to provide information on the casting of absentee and mail-in ballots...

Absentee voters in Cape Girardeau County can find out when their ballots are received, thanks to action by the County Commission on Monday to add ballot-tracking technology to the county clerk’s election website. The commissioners approved a request from County Clerk Kara Clark Summers to augment the website — capecountyelections.com — in order to enable absentee voters to track their ballots. Element 74 hosts the website and will upgrade the site to include the ballot-tracking feature for a one-time fee of $800...

With the November elections quickly approaching, many are planning to cast their ballots. But students may have questions about how to register, how to make sure they are registered or what methods of voting are available to them. Southeast Missouri State University art professor Emily Denlinger founded SEMO Votes to help students navigate the voting process...

Expecting a record turnout for the general election, now just over two months away, Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers is hoping technology can boost voter confidence Nov. 3. Summers and clerk’s office staff are exploring a web-based tool for voters to check their ballot status, specifically an online option to verify whether a mailed-in ballot was received by the county or, conversely, if a ballot was sent out to a resident’s home...

Cape Girardeau County election officials are bracing for a record voter turnout this fall — both absentee and in-person. With that in mind, the County Commission voted Thursday to rent space in Cape Girardeau’s Osage Centre to accommodate voter needs...

The chairman of Cape Girardeau County’s Democratic Party committee admits the 2020 virtual Democratic National Convention taking place this week is a real oddity. “This is by far the strangest political year I can imagine,” said Jonathan Kessler of Jackson, a professor at Southeast Missouri State University...

The business agent who represents postal workers in Southeast Missouri says he is “very concerned” about statements President Donald Trump has been making about the United States Postal Service (USPS) leading up to the November general election. “Postal employees don’t enjoy being used as a football,” said Mike Birkett, agent for Region 5 of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska...

Much has changed in Missouri and the nation since Nicole Galloway announced her bid to unseat Gov. Mike Parson on Aug. 12, 2019, exactly a year ago. “When I launched this campaign, I never could have imagined where we would be today, but I knew then Missouri’s working families needed change and I am even more certain of it now,” said the Democratic state auditor during a socially-distanced and masked campaign stop Tuesday in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson traveled to Southeast Missouri on Tuesday afternoon, attending a broadband development event at SEMO Electric Cooperative. During his visit, Parson announced 16 projects from eight providers will be getting $3 million toward their respective projects. SEMO Electric was one of those...

This past Tuesday began for Kara Clark Summers like most Election Days: at 3:30 a.m. Though by her own admission “not a morning person,” the Cape Girardeau county clerk and her team would spend the next 20 hours or so doing, well, just about whatever it took to shepherd another pandemic-year election to an accurate and orderly end...

Primary voters in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties mostly mirrored their counterparts across the state in Tuesday’s balloting, though both counties’ voters rejected Medicaid expansion. Voters across the state approved Amendment 2, which will expand access to Medicaid, with 53% support. In Cape Girardeau County, 68% of voters opposed the measure (5,517 for and 11,756 against). Support for the measure was the same in Scott County, with 68% of voters rejecting it (6,074 against and 2,834 for). ...

Republican voters in state Senate District 27 apparently won’t need to wait for a possible recount to know who their general election candidate is. Kathy Swan of Cape Girardeau, who represents District 147 in the state House, said in a social media post Wednesday her primary race with District 148 state Rep. Holly Rehder of Sikeston, Missouri, had ended. ...

Wavis Jordan, the coroner-elect of Cape Girardeau County, said he is “surprised” and “thankful” to be elected to a four-year term Tuesday. Jordan was at work at Rhodes convenience store on East Jackson Boulevard in Jackson when he got word he had won the primary. “I was jumping up and down and was as happy as a lark,” said Jordan ...

Four-tenths of 1% separated two state representatives seeking a state Senate seat. Complete but unofficial results showed Holly Rehder of Sikeston, Missouri, eked out the win against Kathy Swan of Cape Girardeau by 141 votes — 16,834 to 16,693 — in the Republican primary to replace state Sen. Wayne Wallingford in the District 27 seat...

Tuesday was a historic day for Cape Girardeau County politics. Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson became the first woman elected to a full term as she easily defeated Drew Juden to win the Republican primary. There is no opposition in the November election...

BENTON, Mo. — Wes Drury was reelected as the sheriff of Scott County during Tuesday’s primary election. In a vote of 4,870 to 3,278, Drury defeated his challenger, former Sheriff Rick Walter, who both ran on the Republican ballot. Because there were no candidates on the Democratic ballot, there will not be a sheriff’s race in November, and Drury will continue on as sheriff with a new four-year term starting Jan. 1...

Primary election winners in Bollinger County’s four contested races include Casey Graham for sheriff with 1,580 votes; Calvin Troxell for coroner with 1,542 votes; Tim Shelby for associate commissioner (First District) with 399 votes; and Chad Hulvey for associate commissioner (Second District) with 883 votes...

Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf resoundingly won the Republican primary Tuesday. He defeated Teresa Worthington with 70% of the vote, 2,877 to 1,207. Schaaf, 63, has held the post for nearly 30 years. He faces no opposition in November, and this term will be his eighth...

For the most part, Stoddard County Republican primary voters had clear choices Tuesday. Incumbent Sheriff Carl Hefner easily won reelection, earning 4,852 votes to challenger Tim McCoy’s 1,650. Brent Stidham won the coroner’s race against Don Seymore by capturing 3,510 votes to Seymore’s 2,708...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Election night was hampered in Butler County by “system” problems that delayed the release of results. Normally available by 9 p.m. on election night, the results were still pending as of 11 p.m. It is rare for Butler County to see lengthy delays in the tabulation of election results...

Poll worker Peewee Keys, center right, sanitizes a clear plastic shield while working with Cape Girardeau County election officials to set-up a polling station Monday at Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau.

As Missouri prepares for its primary election Tuesday, voters might have a few questions on casting a ballot this year. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office has compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions and answers concerning voting in primary elections, available on its website...

Four candidates will square off in Missouri's Aug. 4 primary for the 25th Senate District seat being vacated by Doug Libla because of term limits. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The wide-ranging district covers the Southeast Missouri counties of Shannon, Carter, Butler, Stoddard, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Dunklin counties...

Republican voters in Cape Girardeau County will choose the county's sheriff, coroner and First District commissioner in Tuesday's primary. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. There are no Democrats running for the posts, so the winner of the Republican primary will face no opposition in November...

In what may be the most contentious local race for the Missouri General Assembly, two Republican candidates vie for the 27th Senate District seat being vacated by Wayne Wallingford due to term limits. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The candidates are two Missouri House representatives who cannot run for re-election to their current seats: Rep. Holly Rehder of Scott City and Rep. Kathy Swan of Cape Girardeau...

Tuesday's Republican primary election will feature three races for seats in the state House of Representatives. State Sen. Wayne Wallingford and former Cape Girardeau City Council member John Voss are seeking the seat held by state Rep. Kathy Swan, who is seeking a state Senate seat. The district covers the city of Cape Girardeau...

Three Republicans are seeking the post of Scott County assessor. Whomever wins the primary Tuesday will earn the seat, as there is no other candidate. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Candidates are Carla Essner, Charles Brant Pratt and Shelley Taylor. The candidates responded to questions asked by the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri...

Republican candidates are seeking two seats on the presiding body in Scott County, the county commission. Candidates for the county's First District seat are Terry Cole and John Graham. In November, the winner in the Republican race will face incumbent Dennis E. Ziegenhorn, who is unopposed on the Democratic ballot...

Republican voters in Stoddard County will decide several races when they go to the polls Tuesday. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Among the races to be decided is sheriff. Sheriff Carl Hefner is facing Tim McCoy for the post. At a recent forum, Hefner said he has served as sheriff for more than a decade...

Tuesday's Republican Party primary election in Perry County, Missouri, will feature three contested races. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Teresa Worthington is challenging Sheriff Gary Schaaf. Schaaf, 63, has served in the post for nearly 30 years and is seeking his eighth term as sheriff...

The primary election is Tuesday and the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bollinger County Courthouse will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday to accommodate voters who want to cast an absentee ballot for the Aug. 4 primary election. Bollinger County Clerk Brittany Howard said people can vote absentee until the day before Election Day...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County voters will be choose between two longtime law enforcement officials -- current sheriff Wes Drury and former sheriff Rick Walter -- during Tuesday's Primary Election. Drury and Walter are the sole candidates on the Republican ballot for sheriff, and because there are no Democratic candidates, the winner of Tuesday's election will serve as sheriff of Scott County...

Responding to suggestions he had not completed mandated training, Cape Girardeau County coroner candidate Dennis Turner on Thursday provided certificates indicating he had completed training in 2018 and 2019 with a group other than the state coroners/medical examiners group...

With the primary election days away, questions have arisen about a Cape Girardeau County coroner candidate's claim of an endorsement from the state association governing coroners and medical examiners. His training record has also been questioned. Tuesday's Republican primary will pit acting coroner Dennis Turner against Wavis Jordan and K. Gerald "Jerry" Swan...

Calling it an unnecessary burden on the state budget, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick and State Rep. Cody Smith are campaigning this week against an initiative to expand Medicaid eligibility in Missouri. Amendment 2, also known as the Medicaid Expansion Initiative, will be on the statewide ballot Tuesday. A simple majority is required to pass the measure, which would amend Missouri’s constitution to give more people access to the Medicaid program...

The Holly Rehder-Kathy Swan GOP race for Missouri’s Senate District 27 seat has turned ugly with a little over a week to go before the Aug. 4 primary election. “I can’t remember a race when we’ve had such similar candidates,” said Laura Hatcher, associate professor of political science at Southeast Missouri State University...

Should Medicaid coverage be expanded to include thousands of Missourians who are currently not eligible for the medical assistance program? That question will be put to Missouri voters next month in the form of Amendment 2, the Medicaid Expansion Initiative...

A record number of Cape Girardeau County residents have asked for an absentee ballot for the Aug. 4 primary election. As of Tuesday afternoon, 1,463 requests to vote absentee have been received by the office of County Clerk Kara Clark Summers. The figure easily dwarfs the highest previous mark for requests, 818, received for the primary in August 2012 — an increase of nearly 79%...

Local hopefuls for seats in the Missouri Legislature in the upcoming Aug. 4 primary are more or less in agreement with Gov. Mike Parson’s call to reopen schools for in-person classes next month. The Southeast Missourian sought responses from nine candidates...

A week ago, a required face-covering order issued by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center went into effect. By week’s end, the county election board was fielding multiple emails and taking phone calls from people who want to supplant and replace the current county health department board of trustees, which issued the mandate effective July 13...

Local GOP hopefuls running for the Missouri General Assembly in the Aug. 4 primary election indicate they remain united behind Gov. Mike Parson’s reopening plan. Unlike Cape Girardeau County, which issued a face-covering order to slow the spread of COVID-19 effective Monday, there is no statewide public health order currently in effect...

Candidates for Cape Girardeau County offices will speak at a SEMO Pachyderm Club meeting Thursday. President Wavis Jordan said the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Delmonico’s restaurant in Jackson. Candidates expected to speak include those running for District 1 commissioner and coroner...

Several Cape Girardeau County office hopefuls made their pitches to the Cape County Republican Women’s Club on Friday. Dwayne Kirchhoff told the club that had he known incumbent District 1 county commissioner Paul Koeper would stand for reelection, he would not have thrown his hat in the ring for the Aug. 4 primary...

It is just over a month until the next election. Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said voters will get some help soon sorting out all their options at the polls. “We’ll be sending a postcard next week to let everybody know what is available to do, not only in the Aug. 4 primary but the Nov. 3 general election, too,” she said...

The Missouri Ethics Commission has decided not to accept a complaint filed by former Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter against his opponent in the Aug. 4 primary, incumbent Wes Drury. The commission, in a letter to Walter dated June 25, said the challenger filed too late for consideration...