Spokesman: Enough signatures gathered to force Cape Girardeau casino vote

The group petitioning to force a vote on casino gambling in Cape Girardeau will deliver more than 3,000 signatures to city hall today, enough to put the question on the Nov. 2 ballot, a leader of the drive said Tuesday.

Doug Austin, who has served as a spokesman for Quality of Life in Cape Girardeau, said Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers reported to him that 135 of the 1,529 signatures turned in June 22 could not be counted toward the 2,635 signatures needed.

Austin told the Cape Girardeau City Council on Tuesday that the steering committee got the signatures of 3,080 registered voters.

All signatures were required to be from registered voters living within Cape Girardeau city limits. The petitioners needed signatures equal to 15 percent of the vote cast for governor in 2008 to force the vote.

"We realized from the very beginning this is a Cape Girardeau decision. We have always known our strength is in the citizens," Austin said at Tuesday evening's meeting.

Austin said that 1,394 valid signatures meant that 8.8 percent of the names were not counted. "If that continues, we have got more than enough," Austin said. "Even if that doubles on the next go-around, we have got more than enough."

Cape Girardeau voters approved casino gambling in the city in 1993. Despite several years of effort, no license was granted. The city is again pursuing a casino license in competition with four other cities, and the November vote would come as the Missouri Gaming Commission is in the final stages of considering applications.

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO