JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft tells FOX 2 he expects voter turnout to be slightly higher for this presidential election compared to 2020, when it was 70%.

“We could approach 73%,” Ashcroft said soon after the polls closed in Missouri.

He said some voters registered to vote on Tuesday, mistakenly thinking they could vote. Missouri does not have same-day voter registration. Another issue was flooding in some parts of the state.

After results are tabulated, there is still a certification process that must take place before results are official. For the first two weeks after the election, that process involves local election authorities checking equipment and holding a recount of a minimum of five percent of ballots cast, according to Ashcroft.

“That’s going back to actual paper ballots,” he said.

In addition to checking numbers and making sure policies were followed, Ashcroft said his office would spend approximately two weeks examining results.

He encourages anyone skeptical of voter integrity to become a poll worker or observer.

“I lost in August,” said Ashcroft, referencing his campaign for governor that came up short in the August primary. “I trust the results still.”