Though voter turnout in Cole County did not meet expectations, the Cole County clerk says he's pleased with Tuesday's turnout.
Cole County Clerk Marvin Register said he feels good about an overall 31 percent voter turnout Tuesday, though he had predicated a 34 percent turnout.
"We had a steady crowd through the day, and we were able to get the votes counted pretty quickly," he said.
The final results were put out at 9:15 p.m.
The unofficial totals for Tuesday's primary election showed that of the 52,591 registered voters in Cole County, 16,489 cast a ballot.
Register credited the strong interest in the election due to the five statewide amendments on the ballot.
"I also think a lot of people came out to vote for the county clerk's race," Register said. "Those three worked hard to win that race."
Register did not run for re-election. Steve Korsmeyer won the Republican race and will face Democrat Susan Cook in November.
A steady stream of voters filled out ballots Tuesday throughout the county, keeping election judges busy all day at precincts in Wardsville and Taos.
By 1 p.m., 419 people had voted in Wardsville. A half-hour later, 488 people had voted in Taos.
Judge Jeanie Maasen reported her voting site was "very busy" Tuesday morning, a fact confirmed by the Cole County clerk's office, she said.
"We were very surprised," Maasen said. "I think people are interested in this election."
One issue of interest for many Cole County voters was whether the county should adopt zoning.
Mike Schanzmeyer of Taos said he favored enacting some zoning laws. He said, currently, complaints about common annoyances - barking dogs, hoarders of junk - are met with explanations that the county lacks regulations to control such problems.
"Cole County is getting so developed," he explained. "It's not like what you do won't affect your neighbor anymore. It will help us more than it will hurt us."
Wardsville resident Stanley Adams said he could see both sides of the zoning conversation, but he guessed that Cole County voters will likely defeat the measure.
Hazel Braun of Osage Bluff said the zoning debate wasn't easy for her. She didn't want to declare how she voted; instead she noted that she is "for the individual" and believes "government is taking over," but also said she fears having a chicken farm or a junkyard move in next door.
"There are pros and cons ... it's a very hard one. I asked God to help me decide," Braun said.
Karen Backes of Honey Creek didn't support countywide zoning because of the impact it might have on agriculture.
"I voted against zoning because I feared it might infringe on farming in rural areas," she said. "I didn't want to restrict family farms."
Mike Walther, who lives northeast of Wardsville, said he didn't feel zoning regulations are needed in rural Cole County, although he said he understood the rationale for zoning and land-use regulations in urbanized settings.
"In the country, what a person wants to do is up to them ... they should have the freedom to do what they want with their land," Walther said.
But it was the numerous constitutional amendments on Tuesday's ballot that brought most voters out to the polls.
Walther felt the constitutional amendments were a way for state legislators to punt responsibilities they should have instead addressed. He voted "no" on all of them, he said.
Charles Fraas said the constitutional amendments are what brought him to the polls Tuesday.
"It's important that people are involved," Fraas said. "When you change the Constitution, that requires serious thought. It's a living document but it shouldn't be too living, not to say that I voted against them all."
Voters throughout Jefferson City and Cole County said two particular amendments stood out on Tuesday's ballot - Amendment 7, known as the transportation sales tax, and Amendment 1, known as the right to farm bill.
Transportation sales tax
Schanzmeyer favors a fuel tax over a sales tax for building roads, but said he supported the initiative anyway as a method for providing funds for highway construction projects.
"They have to get some funding from somewhere," he said.
Angie Bunch said she did not support the highway tax because she does not believe the state has spent its money wisely in the first place.
Roger Ponder said his support of the highway tax drove him to the polls.
"I'm going to vote for it to fix our highways," Ponder said. "There's always dumb people who want to drive in potholes."
Frank Vernon said though he came out to vote on all the ballot issues, the transportation sales tax would have to be the most important.
"We need the roads taken care of, so basically I was for it," Vernon said. "I think it needs to be done. I don't know how much of a burden it will be on everyone, but we need to do something about it."
Right to Farm
Backes said she almost never misses an election, but noted she was particularly drawn to the polls on Tuesday by Amendment 1.
"My dad was a farmer in St. Elizabeth. I'd like to protect the right to farm," Backes explained.
Other rural Cole County residents seemed more skeptical of the right to farm amendment. Adams said he hopes it will fail, because "we don't need corporate farms."
Bunch said the right to farm amendment was the main issue that brought her out to vote.
"I think it favors large farms instead of small ones," she said.
For Kim Woodward, who voted against the measure, the amendment is more aptly called "the right to harm" amendment.
Sabrina Bates said it was a difficult issue to navigate and she had a hard time finding information on Amendment 1 at all, though ultimately she voted against the amendment.
"It was already our right in our community and our state," Bates said.
Other results from Aug. 5, 2014 voting:
State and area primary election vote totals for Aug. 5, 2014
Voters reject Cole County zoning
Transportation sales tax defeated
Korsmeyer wins GOP race for Cole County Clerk
Area roundup: Russellville, Ashland voters approve sewer bond issues
Luetkemeyer wins renomination, will face Denton in November
Other Congressional incumbents prevail