POLITICS: SHOW ME THE PRESIDENT

Missouri knows how to pick a president.

Presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore are wise to pay attention to the state, said Secretary of State Bekki Cook.

"History is on our side," she said. "Regardless of party, Missouri voters pick the winner."

The Show Me State failed to back the winning presidential candidate only twice in the last century, in 1900 and 1956.

In 1900, Missouri chose William Jennings Bryan over William McKinley and in 1956, favored Adlai Stevenson over Dwight Eisenhower.

The Nov. 7 presidential election could see record voter turnout in Missouri and in Cape Girardeau County, election officials say.

Statewide, at least 2.2 million of Missouri's approximately 3.7 million voters are expected to go to the polls, fueled by a a neck-and-neck presidential race, and close races for governor and U.S. senator.

"I think we have a chance to push the record," said Jim Grebing, secretary of state spokesman.

The record was set in 1992 when 2.4 million Missourians cast ballots in the presidential election. "The fact is, in the last four general elections in Missouri we have had our highest turnouts in history in terms of the number of voters going to the polls," Grebing said.

This election, turnout could be even higher. "All the polls show tight races. Everything is tight and people know their vote is going to make a difference," he said.

"I think people are motivated to go to the polls," said Grebing.

Cape Girardeau County election officials estimate as many as 32,000 voters may cast ballots next week.

That would amount to about a 67 percent turnout. The county has 47,803 registered voters.

A turnout of 32,000 voters would smash a record set in 1992 when 28,886 voters cast ballots.

"I believe we will have a good turnout," said County Clerk Rodney Miller.

Miller said the presidential election, several hotly contested local and state races, a bond issue in the Jackson School District and a ballot measure to decide the fate of county planning should boost voter turnout.

"If anybody is going to vote, it is going to be this time," said Miller.

Cape's presidential record

Cape Girardeau and other Southeast Missouri counties have had a history of hits and misses in picking presidents, state election records show.

Statewide, Livingston County has fared the best. Its voters have chosen the wrong man only four times in the past 25 presidential elections.

Ripley County in southern Missouri is one of eight counties in the state that has five misses.

Cape Girardeau County has missed seven times, most recently in 1992 and 1996 when voters chose Republicans George Bush and Bob Dole over the Clinton-Gore ticket.

Pemiscot County has had nine misses, including 1968 when the majority of its voters chose third-party presidential candidate George Wallace.

Among all of Missouri's counties, Oregon and Reynolds counties in the 8th Congressional District have fared the worst. Each has 13 misses.