Use tax, other ballot questions certified by clerk's office

The Cape Girardeau County Clerk's office on Friday certified voters' passage of a use tax planned to go toward new court facilities.

County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said a random check of ballots in two of the county's 30 precincts -- which is standard certification procedure -- yielded one additional "yes" vote for the tax, which Tuesday passed by 12 votes with 3,532 in favor and 3,520 against.

Now that the results are certified, a registered voter may request a recount within 30 days because the difference was less than 1 percent.

Summers said Friday one person had already visited the clerk's office expressing interest in a recount, but could not officially request one since the verification team had not yet completed certification.

If someone does request a recount, the county clerk's staff will hand count the ballots.

Summers said recounts cost the county more money toward election expenses.

The use tax, which voters rejected in April last year, is a 1 percent tax that will be levied on specific out-of-state purchases, such as vehicles.

Cape Girardeau County intends to use the revenue from the tax toward building a new courthouse in Jackson.

The clerk's office Friday also certified results of school board elections, bond issues in the Cape Girardeau and Nell Holcomb school districts, which both passed, and the results of the Jackson mayor's race, among other ballot items.

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