Cape County voters wait in line to cast ballots

It was a scene election judge Faye Schreiner hasn't seen very often during her 30 years experience: voters waiting in line to pick up ballots, six or seven voters at a time filling the voting booths.

"This has really been terrific," she said.

Officially, 16,855 people voted in Cape Girardeau County on Tuesday. That's 35 percent of the registered voters in the county.

"It was obviously a good turnout," County Clerk Rodney Miller said.

Dean Winstead of Cape Girardeau said this was only the third election he has participated in. He said he was particularly interested in the gay-marriage issue and there was a particular county commission candidate he didn't want to get in office, so he voted in the Republican primary.

Cape Girardeau resident Carolyn Cambpell said she voted on a Democratic ticket because "I'm ready for a change," she said.