Callaway County Clerk Denise Hubbard predicts more than 18,000 Callaway County residents will vote in today's general election.
Hubbard estimates about 65 percent of Callaway County's 28,000 registered voters will vote.
"In 2008 we had about 65 percent voter turnout in Callaway County. I expect we will equal that percentage of turnout again this year. There's a lot of interest in the election and I'm sure they will be busy at the polls," Hubbard said.
"We have had a lot of interest in absentee voting. We had about 1,700 absentee ballots requested and so far we have received about 1,500 returned absentee ballots," Hubbard said.
Hubbard said poll workers have a list of names of everyone who has an absentee ballot.
Absentee ballots are accepted at the County Clerk's office in the courthouse until 5 p.m. the day prior to the election. On election day any ballot received in the mail that day will be accepted.
Hubbard said absentee ballot requests were received from Callaway County registered voters who are serving in the United States armed services. "Federal law permits soldiers on active duty to request an absentee ballot by mail or email but they must mail it back to us unless they are in a combat zone. If they are located in a combat zone, federal rules allow them the additional option of emailing their ballot," Hubbard said.