PEOPLE COME OUT IN DROVES TO REGISTER FOR NOV. 3 VOTE

JACKSON - As many as 2,000 people may have registered to vote in Cape Girardeau County on Tuesday and Wednesday, the final days to register in order to be eligible for the Nov. 3 general election.

People were standing in line both days at voter registration offices in Cape and Jackson, and at registration sites at the Cape Public Library and on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

The last minute rush of registrations could leave the county with more voters on the rolls than any other time in the county's history, County Clerk Rodney Miller said Thursday.

Miller said his staff was still processing last minute applications but noted at the end of last week there were about 34,000 registered voters in the county.

"We had people standing in line," said Miller. "It just seemed like there was tremendous interest."

Miller, the county's chief election authority, explained that registration normally increases in presidential election years because of the high interest the presidential race draws.

Lois Boston, who is in charge of the registration office in Cape Girardeau, said she was surprised by the last minute rush. Boston explained that she and other staff from the clerk's office went around the county all year giving people an opportunity to register at businesses, industries, nursing homes, hospitals, fairs and other places. She anticipated that would limit the final rush.

Boston, who has registered voters for 18 years, said the only year comparable to this one would be 1980 "but at that point in time we had not gone out like we did this year to get voters registered.

"We went out to the people early this year and I'm surprised at such an influx of people over the last few days," Boston said.

Miller and Deputy County Clerk Betty Hahs pointed out that while there were a lot of young people registering for the first time, they were surprised at the large number of people in the 50-60 year old age bracket who had not voted in years coming out to register.

"There really wasn't any special trend, there were just a lot of voters from all ages," said Miller. "They are wanting to vote this year ... people want to be part of the process."

Miller noted that factors like Ross Perot's entry into the presidential race, the economic situation, and the many issues on the ballot helped attract people to register.

Another factor Miller said could be that more people are willing to register now since juries are chosen from licensed driver lists rather than voter registration lists.

Boston said she has also seen people registered years ago coming back. Like the others, Boston has not seen any definite trend or any single overriding issue or candidate motivating people to come out.

"I just think people are very concerned," said Boston. "They are motivated by their own feelings."

In past years, Boston said new voters were often brought to the office in groups by candidates, parties, or groups, but in 1992 she has not seen that.