With Missouri's presidential primary 12 days away, Cole County's voting machines were being put through their paces in a test run.
Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer, who oversaw the testing Thursday, said he is predicting a 30 percent turnout March 10 for the presidential primary. There was a 40 percent Cole County voter turnout in the 2016 primary election.
As part of the testing, which is monitored by representatives of the local Democrat and Republican parties, the ballots are put into the machines backward and upside down to make sure the machines accurately read them.
As in all primary elections, voters may take only one party's ballot. Missouri voters' choices help determine how delegates vote at the parties' national conventions, where the final candidates are chosen.
There are 22 Democratic candidates, five Republican candidates, one Libertarian candidate, three Green Party candidates and two Constitution Party candidates.
Democratic candidates in Missouri's primary election, listed in the order they will appear on the ballot, include: Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, Tulsi Gabbard, Leonard J. Steinman II, Cory Booker, Joseph Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Velma Steinman, Henry Hewes, Andrew Yang, Roque De La Fuente, John K. Delaney, Julian Castro, Deval Patrick, Marianne Williamson, Michael Bennet, Michael R. Bloomberg, Steve Burke, Robby Wells and Willam C. (Bill) Haas.
The Republican candidates are: Donald J. Trump, Bob Ely, Bill Weld, Joe Walsh and Matthew John Matern.
The Libertarian candidate is Jacob Hornberger.
The Green Party candidates are: Howie Hawkins, Dario Hunter and David Rolde.
The candidates for the Constitution Party are: Don J. Grundmann and Don Blankenship.
Absentee voting will continue until 5 p.m. March 9 in the clerk's office, located in the County Courthouse Annex on High Street. For more information about voter registration and elections in Cole County, call the county clerk's office at 573-634-9101.