This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon: August 5, 2008 - On a sweltering election day in Missouri, voters arrived at St. Louis area polling places today with chilled bottles of water, cardboard fans and agendas as varied as their backgrounds.
A man from Lake St. Louis said he votes against anyone who supports the war, in honor of a brother who was killed in Vietnam.
A woman from Ballwin says she leans toward candidates who share her Christian values.
And a man from the City of St. Louis, who said he wanted to shake up the political status quo, threw his support to "all the women" on his primary ballot.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.
Turnout appeared light, with little or no waiting at most locations.
Following is a sample of voters who cast ballots Tuesday in Missouri's primary election:
Edward Taylor
Age: 65
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Probably the governor's race and the attorney general."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Really none of it. It's all politics as usual."
What issue or candidate did you care most about? "I'm a veteran. I lost a brother in Vietnam. I was in Vietnam." Taylor considers himself an independent, "But I just cannot vote for anybody who supports the war." Taylor's mom is 97 and in a nursing home, so he also pays attention to issues that face people with low-incomes. "You know, this issue when I was 20, 30, 40 years old didn't mean anything to me."
Least about? "Probably any and all of them."
Are your friends, family members voting? "Some of them, yeah. I can tell you why they aren't voting. They don't like to declare on a primary whether they are Democrat or Republican."
Kathy Warren
Age: 48
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? "Chuck (Gatschenberger, a Republican candidate for the 13th district) He's a good friend, and he has good values."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? Nothing today.
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Chuck, probably, and Bob Onder" (candidate for Congress).
Least about? "The governor." Warren wasn't familiar with the candidates, even in name recognition. "But I didn't do my thorough research."
Are your friends, family members voting? "Yes. We all think it's important to get the candidate that we want into a certain ballot."
Lorene Kittel
Age: 80
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? "I guess Chuck Gatschenberger, or whatever his name is."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Bob Onder," a congressional candidate.
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Probably Bob Onder." Kittel likes that he's pro-life. "That's very important to me."
Least about? "The Lake Saint Louis representative. I never heard of them. There were two names on there and I didn't know either one."
Are your friends, family members voting? "I hope so." Kittel says she's been arguing with her daughter about getting out to vote, but her daughter won't because she doesn't know who to vote for.
Kevin Flannery
Age: 18
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Nothing really, the moral obligation to vote because we're a democratic nation. Put your stamp on your government."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "The attorney general race and the 9th district race is also important. There were a lot of candidates in there and they're going to directly affect me."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I guess the governor's race, but there's really only Jay Nixon for that."
Least about? "Probably the district judge, the unopposed races."
Are your friends, family members voting? "I don't think my friends are ... because they don't know about the issues and feel like that would be spitting on democracy if they came out and voted if they didn't know things. It's good to vote, but it's good to know things, too."
Benjamin Brown
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 43
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "My brother is Steve Brown (candidate for state rep), and I would still vote for him if he wasn't my brother."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Margaret Donnelly (candidate for attorney general). I know her from the Lake Forest neighborhood. Jay Nixon (candidate for governor) because he is a friend of my brother."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I know about Jay Nixon from my brother. And, of course, my brother."
Least about? "Lieutenant governor. I voted for Sam Page, though."
Are your friends, family members voting? "I hope so, I've been working the phones."
Tim Rudmond Jr.
Home: Rock Hill
Age: 28
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Energy issues, economic issues. In primaries, you always get a chance to analyze all the candidates so you have the best possible people running in the general election."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "The attorney general race is going to be interesting. I shouldn't give out my personal voting information, though, since I'm an alderman and I'm an active Democrat."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Steve Brown, since I've been working for him."
Least about? "Any of them."
Are your friends, family members voting? "I imagine so, since they support the process."
Peter Takes
Home: Clayton
Age: 51
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "There is a Democratic state representative that I felt strongly about voting for, but I'd rather not say who."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "The governor's race."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Margaret Donnelly, Steve Brown, Stacy Newman, mostly because I read about them."
Least about? "The lieutenant governor's race."
Are your friends, family members voting? "Yes, we try to vote whenever we can. "
Mike Renfro
Home: Clayton
Age: 51
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "The governor race primary, since it's the most important statewide office."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Our state representative race and MSD vote."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Governor's and state representative's races, a combination of paper and mail advertisements, not television.
Least about: "Lieutenant governor."
Are your friends, family voting? "Family are all voting. We're voters. My daughter is 20 and she voted in her first election, and she's voting today."
Joseph Shumway
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 49
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "(Margaret) Donnelly and (Steve) Brown; women's health."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Ethics, especially in the attorney general's race."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I know most about the attorney general and lieutenant governor races, mostly through personal contact and connection -- not through advertisements.
Least about? "The representative races."
Are your friends, family voting? "Yes."
Catie Connelly
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 25
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Steve Brown. My sister knows and likes him."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Michael Carter for lieutenant governor."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "Steve Brown. It wasn't political, it's just that my sister works at Brown's children's daycare and said that his family is really nice."
Least about? "I probably just skipped what I didn't know, I can't remember."
Are your friends, family voting? "Oh yes, we vote for everything in my family!"
Maureen Elliot
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 45
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? "I vote for every contest, no matter what. Every issue counts. I guess the governor is the most important."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "The governor's race; you have to be dead not to know about it!"
Least about? "Nothing about Republicans for the 3rd district, since none of them contacted me."
Are your friends, family voting? "Yes, of course."
Monica Aarons
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 33
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Steve Brown. We have the same viewpoint about education and health care, things that are extremely important to me and my children. I think, I hate to say it, but Stacey Newman played the woman issue. Also, that damn gas."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? "Jay Nixon for governor. I would like him to win, because I want a Democrat as governor, but I don't really like him. It doesn't matter, as long as it's not Matt Blunt. I don't like Blunt because of the health-care cuts he made. Two of my children are asthmatic, and one has a heart condition. They went for about 30 days without health care, and I didn't like there. I just want Blunt out of there."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I know most about Brown. When he called me, I said I couldn't really vote for him until I was able to look into his eyes and really know him. So he came over to my house and talked to me."
Least about? "I didn't know the people running for lieutenant governor."
Are your friends or family voting? "Yes! You have to vote. We need change. We count on people to come out to make change. If you don't vote, you can just shut up."
Helen Mandeville
Home: Richmond Heights
Age: 79
Ballot: Democrat
What brought you to the polls today? "Margaret Donnelly for attorney general. She was really good as a District 73 representative. She has good experience and a strong background in education."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? "MSD; I just want my sewer to work!"
What issue or candidate did you know most about? Donnelly and Stacey Newman, mostly from reading newspapers.
What did you know least about? "I know that Nixon is running for governor but that's about it. I know he's been attorney general, but I never paid much attention to him. I wish this was a split ballot, so that I could vote for a Republican, but I guess I'll have to wait for the general election."
Are your friends, family voting? "My family lives in Illinois; they're very argumentative politically, though!"
Sandra Brennan
Age: Declined
Residence: Ballwin
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? The race for governor and support for Republican candidates who share her conservative and Christian values. She said she voted for Kenny Hulshof largely because of his strong rural roots and his farming background. "I'm not a women's libber. I am a Republican and I believe we have a very tough row to hoe this year. We've received a lot of bad press, most of it having to do with the war."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? Republicans "believe in less government, and I believe in less government. I don't believe in many of the liberal policies that the Democratic Party represents."
Doug Taylor
Age: 35
Residence: Ballwin
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? A desire for fair property taxes and a stronger emphasis on education. "Schools are always an issue. I have small kids in the Rockwood District."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? While he said he felt informed about all candidates running, his strongest support was for Republicans Jane Cunningham (state Senate candidate for the 7th District) and Andrew Koenig (state representative candidate for the 88th District).
Are your friends, family voting? "We've got people dying in Iraq to give us the freedom to do this (vote). My family votes in every election. We are the ones who always show up."
Steve Young
Age: 35
Residence: Ballwin
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? Support for public education. "Both of my sons have been teachers. Public education has always been important."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? Desire to vote for Kenny Hulshof for governor. "I grew up in Central Missouri and that's where Hulshof is from. He's a friend of my sister. They belong to the same church."
Max Kercher
Age: 80
Residence: Ballwin
Ballot: Republican
What brought you to the polls today? His top reason for voting Tuesday was his support of Republican Gina Loudon (state senate candidate for the 7th District). "I like the things she (Loudon) stands for and the things her husband stands for -- like their great conservative values. They both push for conservative values, conservative laws, laws that are for the family. Like pro life things.
What other issues or candidate are important to you? "My wife and I had a disagreement over the governor. She liked the lady (Sarah Steelman) and I liked the man (Kenny Hulshof). I liked his homey approach. His commercials were just friendly and I liked his record from being in the House."
What issue did you know least about? "I didn't know much about the metro sewer district proposal. I heard we were getting an increase whether we voted for it or against it."
St. Louis:
Christina Langer
Age: 54
What brought you to the polls today? "No, there wasn't one."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? "Cloning and right to life."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? The state treasurer race.
Least about? "I wonder about the attorney general. I don't really know about their positions on cloning and right to life, but I don't know how much they really have to do with that. I don't see it as relevant."
Are your family, friends voting? "Yes, it feels like a responsibility."
Susan McCormick
Age: 53
What brought you to the polls today? "The governor's race"
What other issues or candidate are important to you? "Just locally, I care about what goes on in my neighborhood." District races and committeemen slots are important.
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I know most about Robin Wright-Jones." Follows education issues and feels Wright-Jones "has a pulse" on the issue.
Least about? "I could talk about most anything."
Terrell Johnson (a volunteer for Tishaura Jones, candidate for state rep)
Age: 21
Ballot: Democrat
What issue or candidate was most important to you? "State Rep. Tishaura Jones. She tries to help the children, and she really cares."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "People's well-being, jobs, school."
Which candidate or issue do you know most about? "Joe Palm running for state rep; I know him personally, he's my mentor."
Least about: "Michael Roberts Jr."
Friends or family voting? "I'm not sure."
Terrell Robinson
Age: 29
Ballot: Democrat
What issue or candidate was most important to you? "Rodney Hubbard for state Senate. He deals with kids, and he's in the neighborhood a lot. He does what we need to do to help kids."
What other issues or candidates are important to you? "Police profiling."
Which candidate or issue do you know most about? "Rodney Hubbard. He's been there for six years. It would be foolish for us to take him out now. He knows the neighborhoods, he arranges vans to take people in need to grocery stores."
Least about? "Robin Wright Jones. She got into the race pretty late."
Friends or family voting? "Yeah, everyone I know is voting."
Stacy Brinkley
Age: 33
What brought you to the polls today? Came out just to vote. "To be completely honest, there wasn't very much information about this election. I had to ask a lot of questions. The most important thing to me is you've got to vote regardless."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? There weren't any.
What issue or candidate did you know most about? Robin Wright Jones. "There was a whole bunch of information on my door."
Joe Kimuene
Age: 55
Ballot: Kimuene switched his ballot when he entered the polls. He has voted for Republican candidates in the past, he said. Tuesday, he voted a Democratic ballot instead. "I was a Republican first but they didn't do a very good job."
What brought you to the polls today? Came out just to vote. "I want to be a concerned citizen."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? No specific candidates or issues. "I vote for the one I like who has a good program to better the state of Missouri."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? The governor's race, due to an interest in health insurance, particularly children's health coverage stemming from his years living in France.
What issue or candidate did you know most about? "I knew a little bit about everything. I read the newspaper. I didn't want to be surprised."
Are your family, friends voting? "Maybe my daughter is voting. My wife isn't interested."
Robert Wagner
Age: 60
What brought you to the polls today? Voted "to get out of the house. I like to think I can make a difference, but I wonder. Especially with these only one-candidate races."
What other issues or candidate are important to you? There weren't any. "I vote for all the women. Make a change."
What issue or candidate did you know most about? He got so much information he said he threw it all away.
Least about? "I didn't realize MSD was trying to get more money."
Are your family, friends voting? "Probably not. "Most people I know don't vote. They complain a lot, but they don't vote."