Voter turnout mirrors predictions in Tuesday election

Voter turnout seemed to meet the expectations of local county clerks, in some cases falling just shy of predictions made in the days before the election.

Throughout the day, Cape Girardeau County election judges said they were expecting the typically low turnout, but still were impressed by the fairly steady stream of voters coming through the doors in the morning and early afternoon.

Countywide, voters had a 1-percent use tax to consider. School board races, school district propositions and other municipal races -- including a Jackson mayoral race -- also were on the ballots for various precincts and expected to draw out voters.

Countywide turnout was 14.25 percent, falling in line with the county clerk's estimate of about 14 percent participation.

In neighboring Scott County, school board races and a countywide sales tax of one-half percent were items expected to bring voters to the polls. Turnout reported in the uncertified results Tuesday night was 16.7 percent. The county clerk originally estimated fewer than a quarter of the county's voters would turn out for the election.

Perry County had only a few contested races on its ballot, leaving the county clerk to estimate 14 to 17 percent of voters would show Tuesday. Uncertified results show slightly fewer than 12 percent of the county's voters went to the polls.

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