Election set Tuesday, with low turnout expected

Cape Girardeau County clerk and election authority Kara Clark Summers predicts a 12-to-14% turnout for Tuesday's municipal election, which features 11 candidates running for four open seats on the county's public health center trustees board plus contested school board races in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Oak Ridge, Delta and Meadow Heights.

Additionally, Wards 3 and 4 are contested in races for alderman seats in Jackson.

An examination of recent county voting records would seem to bear out Summers' prognostication.

Since 2014, turnout for a municipal election has not dropped below 12.34% (2020) nor gone higher than 14.74% (2019).

The lowest municipal race percentage in the county's last decade was 10.2% in 2013 and the highest was 22.8% in 2011.

What may have driven the noticeably higher 2011 turnout was a referendum called the "Cape Girardeau Smoke-Free Air Act," which would have outlawed smoking in indoor workplaces and many public spaces in the City of Cape Girardeau.

The "Air Act" failed by a 52-48% margin.

The Advance and Meadow Heights school districts have initiatives on the 2021 ballot plus the villages of Allenville, Whitewater and Gordonville seek voter approval to forgo future elections if there are no contested races.

Perry County

Five candidates vie to win three spots on the county health department board.

For the Perry County Memorial Hospital, three candidates are contesting one open seat.

The Perry County COPS (Court Operations Police Sheriff) initiative seeks voter approval for a sales tax increase to fund a joint city/county justice center.

COVID precautions

In Cape County, a special $69,000 state election grant was used for the August and November elections, said Summers, and the fund is now exhausted, so none of the county's 29 precincts will have designated cleaning crews Tuesday.

Election judges will be responsible for cleaning all surfaces.

Plexiglas safety shields and sanitary wipes will be utilized again.

Because of the county health department's March decision to drop the face covering mandate, masks are not required at county polling places but will be available if voters want them, said Summers.

Election Day reminders

There are two central voting locales that may be used by any Cape Girardeau County voter Tuesday: the county election board's main office at 1 Barton Square, third floor, in Jackson or at the satellite office, 2311 Bloomfield St., Suite 102, in Cape Girardeau.

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.