Boone, Cole clerks ready for strong August primary turnout

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone and Cole counties are each preparing for more than a quarter of registered voters to cast ballots in the primary next month.

The August primary elections are one week from Tuesday.

"We've had a steady stream of people coming in, so hopefully we'll meet our quota," said Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer. "We're looking at about 35% turnout, so hopefully we'll meet that.”

Korsmeyer says this is average, and they have had around that number for the last two presidential elections.

"We've been averaging about 150 people a day, which has been fantastic but, I think overall that probably means we're looking at somewhere between 25% and 30% turnout," said Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon.

Lennon said the Boone County Clerk's Office has received more than 1,000 in-person, no-excuse absentee ballots. Including mail-in no-excuse absentee ballots, Lennon said the office received around 2,000 so far.

For the last August primary elections in 2022, Boone County had around 24% voter turnout and in 2020, had close to 29%.

When it comes to polling locations, voters in both counties should expect the same as in years past.

"All the polling places are still the same, just remember your photo ID, you got to have a government-issued photo ID, like a driver's license or passport or military ID," Korsmeyer said.

Polling places won't change in Boone County.

"They should expect to be at the same poll that they were before," said Lennon. "We still have our central polls, which are the Government Center, Friendship Baptist Church and Woodcrest Chapel, which just means that those are places where if you can't make it to your assigned poll, you can go to one of those three and you can still cast your ballot."

Korsmeyer said residents in Cole County get paid to work at the polls and they have a full slate of people at each poll location, along with backups in case someone can not make it.

Lennon said Boone County also has full staffing at the polls.

"We've trained everybody and people have assignments so, right now it's filling in in case somebody has an emergency," said Lennon.

Lennon said there are things voters can do ahead of the election to make the process smoother for them when they are at the polls.

"Looking yourself up on either our website or the Secretary of State's website to make sure that all your information is correct and that your address is up to date," Lennon said. "You can take care of that on Election Day, but it's easier if you take care of it in advance."

Lennon also stresses the importance of taking a photo ID to the polls.

You can drop off your no-excuse absentee voting ballot to the Boone County Clerk's Office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In Cole County, you can bring your no-excuse absentee ballot to the clerk's office on High Street from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Cole and Boone Counties also offer weekend hours ahead of the election to drop off no-excuse absentee ballots.

In Boone County, the clerk's office will have spots set up on Aug. 3 to cast a no-excuse absentee ballot. Those include the Southern Boone Library in Ashland and the Centralia Public Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For Cole County voters, the office will be open Aug. 3 from 8 a.m. until noon.