Primary turnout down from 2004 in Cape County

A depressed primary turnout helped create some election surprises Tuesday, and the numbers for some candidates could be a predictor of electoral difficulties when voters go to the polls again in November.

Overall 24 percent of Cape Girardeau County voters, 12,173 out of 50,648 on the registration rolls, went to the polls. That was better than the statewide turnout of 18.9 percent reported by the secretary of state's office, but it was down significantly from the 36 percent who cast ballots in 2004.

"I was disappointed with the turnout," said Joe Gambill, former District 2 commissioner for Cape Girardeau County. "I saw the people running for the state offices, and I would have thought with that controversy at the commission, it would draw people. But maybe it is the people who didn't vote who are telling us something."

After the votes had been counted, Jeff Glenn, unsuccessful Republican candidate in the 158th District, said his campaign effort had been based on about 5,500 votes being cast. Instead, only 3,732 voters took part and Glenn ran third with 957, losing to Clint Tracy, who took 1,560 votes.

Another race that wasn't close, surprising longtime political observers, was the contest for District 1 commissioner. While Paul Koeper, vice president of Penzel Construction, took 33.6 percent of the vote in a 10-way contest, no other contender received more than 14.6 percent. Koeper ran away with the race despite opponents who included Jackson Alderman Joe Bob Baker, who ran second, and former county auditor Weldon Macke, who has been a fixture of county politics for 40 years. Macke ran sixth.

"It was extremely hot," said Holly Lintner, chairwoman of the Republican Party's 158th District Committee. "I felt like some of the older voters didn't get out and that could have had an effect."

The Tracy victory combined an excellent campaign plan with the money to execute it, Lintner said. "He did everything right. He had mail pieces, TV commercials, door-to-door and a lot of local connections. His campaign was the most efficiently run, and that kind of told me he was going to win."

Tracy faces only a Libertarian candidate, Robert Roland, in the fall campaign.

The outcomes from Tuesday that could predict November results were the vote totals recorded both by Koeper and by incumbent District 2 Commissioner Jay Purcell, who was unopposed in the primary.

Democrats are hoping Koeper's one-third share shows a path to winning a seat on the commission for the first time since Max Stovall defeated Joe Gambill in 1996. "If we look at what has been a totally Republican county commission for a number of years, it may cross their minds that having a Democrat on there would be a good change," said Brenda Woemmel, county chairwoman for the Democrats.

But it is the totals for Purcell that suggest he may have a problem with members of his own party. While Purcell is currently unopposed for re-election, petitions to place independent candidate Rock Finch on the November ballot have been submitted to County Clerk Kara Clark.

The unopposed candidate who records the most votes generally has bragging rights as the most popular official. Among Republicans Tuesday, that honor fell to Sheriff John Jordan, who received 8,473 votes, edging out Coroner John Clifton by three votes.

In the precincts of District 2, Purcell ran far behind Jordan. While almost 85 percent of the Republican voters in District 2 precincts took the time to mark Jordan's name, only 70 percent did so for Purcell. Purcell also fell far short of the vote total generated by state Sen. Jason Crowell among those voters, and he ran even further behind U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, who took the most votes countywide among all Republicans.

Purcell has been embroiled in a battle with fellow commissioners Gerald Jones and Larry Bock over Sunshine Law issues, the sale of county park land and steps to make government more open. Jones and Bock voted to take away many of Purcell's duties. Purcell said he knows he must explain himself in the upcoming campaign. "To this day there will always be some people who blame me," Purcell said. "All I can do is explain why I did it."

The encouraging aspect of the District 1 race, Purcell said, is that many of the 10 candidates embraced his ideas. He expects a hard-fought battle in the fall but believes voters will listen. "They will see through what is going on, and when it all comes out, they will be there for me."

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126

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Koeper wins Republican nomination

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