FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 27, 2008
Contact: Laura Egerdal, (573) 526-0949
Contact: Ryan Hobart, (573) 526-4734

Carnahan Releases Voter Turnout Prediction and Voter Registration Totals for November 4 Election

Seventy-six Percent Turnout Predicted for Historic Presidential Election

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI -- Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced today that 76 percent of Missouri’s registered voters are predicted to vote in the November 4, 2008 general election. This estimate is a compilation of local turnout estimates submitted to the Secretary of State’s office by the 116 election authorities around the state. If the 76 percent prediction is met, more than 3.2 million votes will be cast in the election.

“Missouri voters should have confidence in their election system,” said Carnahan. “Local election officials around the state have been working tirelessly to make preparations for a busy election day.  This year, we have increased security checks on voting machines, raised the number of poll workers statewide, and invested in more training for Election Day workers.”

In addition to the estimated turnout, Secretary Carnahan also released the statewide voter registration total for the upcoming election.  There are a record-setting 4,205,774 Missourians currently registered to vote, which includes over 340,000 first time voters.

A large portion of the new voters are younger Missourians.  Nearly 150,000 of the first time registrants are 18-24 years old, which is more than double any other age group.  In both Kansas City and St. Louis City, 40 percent of the new registrants are 18-24 years old.

“Seeing so many young people around the state who are interested in this election is a wonderful thing for the future of Missouri and our country,” said Carnahan.

Since 2005, Secretary Carnahan has overseen the creation of Missouri’s first statewide voter registration database. This system automatically verifies the information of each new voter against state and federal databases to confirm the identity of the voter. Over the past four years, the statewide database has allowed election officials to remove duplicates, deceased persons and felons from the rolls.

Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Unofficial results will be updated on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website (www.sos.mo.gov) throughout election night.  Voters can also visit www.GoVoteMissouri.com to find the location of their polling place, learn what to bring, and view a sample ballot.

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To find out more about Missouri’s Secretary of State’s office, visit www.sos.mo.gov

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