GETTING OUT THE VOTE OF PRIME CONCERN TUESDAY

Volunteers were going all-out at the Democratic, Republican and Perot headquarters in Cape Girardeau Tuesday trying to get voters to the polls to insure maximum votes for their candidates.

Part of the get-out-the-vote effort involved calling people who were likely to support candidates of their party to make sure they had voted, and, if not, to see whether they needed transportation to the polls.

One of the drivers at the Republican headquarters Tuesday was County Treasurer Bill Reynolds, who was hoping to capture a fourth term.

Many other candidates worked polling places, hoping to woo some undecided voters their way.

Supporters of Ross Perot spent the day waving signs around town, showing up at polling places, and trying to share enthusiasm for their candidate.

Supporters of the Clinton-Gore ticket spent Monday night and early Tuesday placing signs on utility poles around town trying to draw attention to the Democratic candidates.

Voter turnout was high all over the state, and County Clerk Rodney Miller was forecasting a good chance of topping the 1984 voter record of 25,302. There were lines at many polling places during the day, but for the most part voters did not have to wait long to vote.

Republicans planned to gather at the Holiday Inn Oak Room, where they have for years, while Democrats, who have recently gathered at Drury Lodge, moved to a room in the Holiday Inn Convention Center.

Perot supporters were at their headquarters on North Kingshighway.

In anticipation of a victory by Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan in the governor's race, many local Democrats were planning to be in St. Louis at the Hyatt-Regency for a Democratic Party event where Carnahan was going to be.

At all three headquarters, the mood was one of excitement, with workers interested more in doing whatever they could to get out last- minute voters than to discuss polls or what might happen after polls close.

Most pre-election polls showed bad news for Republicans, particularly gubernatorial candidate William Webster and President George Bush.

But State Rep. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau, who was elected to a sixth term without opposition, said she did not sense gloom, but rather a lot of excitement from voters about going to the polls.

"There are a lot of silent people who have not shown up in the polls for the conservative side," said Kasten.

Kasten said she had been disappointed by the negative advertising and campaigning during 1992, but it has helped bring people to the polls and hopefully will get people to focus on the problems facing the state and nation.

"It has been an ugly year - a very ugly year," said Kasten.

"The positive things that could come out of this is people are hopefully looking more closely at the people they elect to represent them," she said. "If they do that, there will be some value come of this whole process no matter which party wins.

"The whole thing works, but I think everybody is a little saddened by the caliber of advertising."

Peggy Nelson, vice chairman of the Republican Central Committee, called the mood of Republicans "eager and hopeful.... They are not appreciative of `Slick Willie' and are appalled at the prospect of having him in there.

"I think some people are unhappy with Bush, but the alternatives are horrifying."

Rick Althaus, chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Democratic Central Committee, said at mid-day Democrats were encouraged because many of their likely voters were going to the polls early.

"There's a lot of enthusiasm here today," said Althaus. "Much of that is focused on Clinton-Gore, but we also have a strong slate of candidates."

Althaus agreed that polls looked good for Democrats, but maintained Cape County Democrats were not yet ready to celebrate. "We're confident maybe, but not cocky," said the chairman. "These last 12 years have been long enough for us to be cocky."

At the Perot headquarters, Mary Martin, the Southeast Missouri coordinator, said they had been overwhelmed by the support for their candidate.

"People have been coming in here all day saying they voted for Ross and their friends had voted for Ross," said Martin. "They all think it will be a landslide and that a lot of people will be surprised today."

She said, "The enthusiasm we have is a very big asset."