Mo. voter turnout predicted to reach 72 percent

The Missouri Secretary of State is predicting a high voter turnout in next week's general election.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan's office issued a news release Tuesday with a prediction of 72 percent turnout statewide. The estimate comes from a compilation of local turnout predictions submitted to the secretary of state's office by 116 local election authorities.

Voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election was just above 69 percent, according to the release. A 72 percent turnout on Nov. 6 would mean more than three million of the state's 4,190,936 registered voters will have cast ballots.

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