The importance of the primary election in Missouri

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – All eyes were on the polls Tuesday as voters are heading to the ballot box to narrow down candidates for the big upcoming election in November.

Charlie Herbst is a Cape Girardeau voter. He explains why he believes it is important for the public to make their voices heard.

“The primary election I think is very important because that is when the public really has to make a lot of decisions and do their homework on a variety of candidates for that office.”

Herbst stresses what is driving him and others to the local polling places.

“Voting is so important. I am a boy scout leader and one of the things I also teach is your duties, obligations, and responsibilities as a citizen and it’s so important for people and citizens to be a part of their government and not just sit on the couch and complain.”

The primary election for the State of Missouri is super important because it sets the stage for the big election coming in November.

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers says a lot is at stake.

“It’s important that people do the research and get out we’re voting for the governor’s race down to county local level races today so it’s important. I mean this is a federal election and it’s very important that people get out and exercise their right to vote.”

According to Clark there were some complications today, but all of the voters were able to cast ballots.

“We had some mishaps this morning with a few of the machines, but it wasn’t really the machines’ fault. The voter maybe went to put their ballot in and over voted their race so therefore to put the ballot back out in order to give the voter an opportunity to spoil their ballot and get a new ballot. Those voters that came in did get to vote, they put their ballot in an emergency compartment and those ballots were entered into the machine by a bipartisan team of judges.”

The big election this year is Tuesday, November 5.