Voter turnout at 23 percent in Mo. primary

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Fewer than one-fourth of Missouri's registered voters cast ballots in this year's primary elections.

The secretary of state's office said Wednesday that 23 percent of the state's nearly 4.1 million registered voters actually voted in Tuesday's primary.

The top draw was a constitutional amendment expanding the right to pray in public places, which attracted a total of nearly 943,000 votes while easily passing.

About twice as many people cast Republican ballots as Democratic ballots -- led by the GOP race for U.S. Senate, won by Congressman Todd Akin.

Turnout was nearly identical to the 2010 primary. It was highest this year in several rural counties, topping out at 44 percent in Harrison County. The lowest voter turnouts were recorded in Boone County and in the Kansas City area.