ABSENTEE VOTING IS RUNNING WELL AHEAD

JACKSON - Absentee voting for Tuesday's city and school elections in Cape Girardeau County are running more than three times ahead of last year, a likely indication that voter turnout will be heavy next week.

Patty Schlosser, voter registrar for the county clerk's office, reported Thursday afternoon that 213 absentee ballots had been issued, compared with 63 that were issued last year.

The deadline for mailing out absentee ballots has passed. However, citizens who cannot vote Tuesday may still cast an absentee ballot in person. The county clerk's offices at the county administration building in Jackson and in the Common Pleas Annex in Cape Girardeau, will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. today.

The offices will also have special Saturday hours, from 9 a.m. until noon. They will also be open Monday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

On election day, polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.