The Nov. 4 general election is approaching, less than a month out. Though state and federal offices are not on the ballot, this election will decide local races for City Council, school boards and one local ballot measure in Sedgwick County.
If you are a voter in the Wichita area, or an out-of-state student wondering how to approach voting season, here is the information you need to know to prepare for election day.
How to register
The deadline to register to vote in Kansas is Oct. 14.
To be eligible to vote in the state of Kansas, you must be:
- A United States citizen
- 18 years of age or older at the time of the election
- A Kansas resident
- Not in prison, on probation or parole for a felony
Kansas has an online voter registration application which can be completed with a valid driver’s license or non-driver’s identification card. If you do not have a valid Kansas ID you must register via a paper form. To check voter registration, register to vote and request a vote by mail visit vote.org.
What’s on the ballot?
In November, Sedgwick County voters will decide on a variety of offices including Wichita City Council members in Districts 1, 3 and 6 along with school board members in Wichita, Maize, Haysville and Goddard. There are no statewide races in this election.
To see your sample ballot, which shows the elections you’re eligible to vote in, go to the Sedgwick County website.
How to vote
The state of Kansas requires voters to bring a valid photo ID to the polls. Valid forms of ID include:
- Driver’s license or state ID card
- U.S. Passport or military ID
- ID card issued by a Native American tribe
- Employee badge or ID issued by a government office
- Student ID card from an accredited higher education institution in Kansas
- Concealed carry license issued by Kansas or another state
- Public assistance ID card issued by a government office
Early in-person voting opens Monday, Oct. 20, at the Sedgwick County Election Office, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More early voting locations open Friday, Oct. 31, with satellite locations around the county. Early voters can go to any of these locations.
To find your election day polling location go to the Sedgwick County website. Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day and you must vote at your assigned location.
Out-of-state students and alternative voting options
Out-of-state students can decide whether to vote at their college or home address.
Though registering to vote in more than one state is illegal, it is possible to change your voter registration to the state you reside in if you have moved.
If you live far away from your polling place, most states offer either absentee voting or vote-by-mail options, but deadlines and rules vary.
In Kansas, the deadline to request an advanced ballot by mail is Tuesday, Oct. 28. All Sedgwick County voters are eligible to vote by mail. To request an advance voting ballot, you must fill out an application and submit it to Sedgwick County through email, mail or fax.
To be counted, the ballot must be returned to a valid Sedgwick County drop-off location by 7 p.m. on Election Day, or postmarked by Election Day.
To check your state’s deadlines and rules on absentee voting or mail-in voting, visit vote.org.
