Two percent was the magic number for the St. Peters hotel tax.

After a five percent rate was shot down by voters in November 2010, voters on Tuesday approved a two percent hotel rate. The hotel tax was the only local issue on the ballot on a day normally reserved for the presidential primary. 

Just 10.4 percent of voters (3,913 votes) turned out for the election, approving the measure with 55.25 percent (2,162 votes) voters voting yes. The no votes only totaled 44.75 percent (1,751 votes). 

The two percent tax on hotel rooms will pay for things like maintaining the city's St. Peters Rec-Plex and the new 370 Lakeside Park, according to the Suburban Journals. 

In an email to St. Peters' employees, Director of Communication Lisa Bedian wrote: "Money raised from this tourism tax would be allocated to help to pay for things like the wear and tear on our facilities from events that bring tourists to St. Peters—such as the Missouri State High School Swimming and Diving meets, baseball, soccer and hockey tournaments and other special events."

The St. Peters Board of Aldermen unanimously approved putting the hotel tax on the ballot during the November, 17, 2011, meeting. Mayor Len Pagano said O'Fallon, St. Charles and others also have hotel taxes. He said the tax doesn't impact residents, only tourists. St. Peters has five hotels in the city and city staff estimates that 200,000 tourists visit, and stay, in the city each year. During recent Board meetings, a video has played in support of the tax. 

Voters in St. Peters, like the rest of Missouri, also had a chance to vote in for the Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls. Missouri voters chose Barack Obama in the Democratic race and Rick Santorum in the Republican race.

Here's how the voting broke down in St. Charles County:

Tuesday's election had 23,412 votes in St. Charles County, or just 9.46 percent of registered voters.