Voter registration deadline: 5 p.m. Wednesday

Voters who want to cast ballots in the August primary -- or those who want to plan ahead for November's big political contest -- have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to register.

According to Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark, only voters who have moved or changed their names need to register.

Newly registered voters must first cast a ballot before getting the yellow voter card, she said. First-time voters will receive a letter after registering and should be prepared to show identification at the polls, according to Sherri Lomedico, voter registration deputy.

People can register at county clerk offices, city halls or license bureaus, according to Scott County election officials. In Cape Girardeau County, people can also register at the city and regional libraries or at the social service counter of the county's health department.

But there's still time to mail in a registration card, Lomedico said, "as long as it's postmarked before 5 p.m. Wednesday ... Sometimes people send it to Jefferson City and they have to get it to us."

Voters with registration questions can call their county clerk's office. In Cape Girardeau County, dial 243-3547; Scott County, 573-545-3549; and Bollinger County, 573-238-1900.