COUNTY CLERK SEES ALL AGES OF PEOPLE REGISTERING FOR NOV. 3

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller said Wednesday he is seeing interest by people of all ages to get registered to vote for the Nov. 3 general election.

"We're having people come in to register from all age groups," said Miller.

Interest in voting and registration increases in presidential election years, and to make it easier for people to register Miller and his staff are again conducting a Registration Outreach campaign around the county.

With the assistance of office staff and some volunteers, Miller has conducted drives at shopping centers, retail stores, schools, and industries.

An intensive drive last spring netted about 850 new registered voters.

"A lot of participation we found in our registrations, especially in stores, is from younger couples who have moved to the area," said Miller. "We are also seeing a lot of people who have moved and need to change their registration to their new address.

"This year I think we are also seeing a few more people who have not been registered before, both young and old."

Presently Cape County has 32,005 registered voters, but by the Oct. 14 deadline Miller believes the number could climb to as high as 34,000.

"We've tried to go where we could and to places where people who work might not be able to otherwise get into our offices to register," explained Miller. "The whole purpose of our outreach program is to try and make it more convenient for the voter."

Several larger companies like Procter and Gamble have sponsored registration days and invited officials from several counties where their employees live to sign up new voters.

On Sept. 14 Miller said his office will be represented at Florsheim Shoe Co. in Cape Girardeau and on Sept. 21 at the Thorngate plant in Cape Girardeau. On Sept. 23 they will go to the Thorngate plant in Chaffee to register workers from Cape County.

A drive will be conducted later this month by the League of Women Voters at the mall, and Miller also plans to provide registration opportunities at Southeast Missouri State University and high schools in the county.

A registration booth will also be staffed at the Southeast Missouri District Fair.