The general election in Kansas is on Nov. 8, giving voters the opportunity to decide on local, statewide and federal offices.
On the ballot this November are the state’s highest offices, including governor, attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state and commissioner of insurance. One U.S. Senate seat is on the ballot, as are seats for all levels of the state judiciary. And Kansans statewide will vote for the first time for representatives in newly redrawn districts for each of the state’s four congressional representatives, 125 state house representatives and five state Board of Education seats.
Voters will also have the opportunity to weigh in on two proposed constitutional amendments. One amendment, if passed, would prevent counties from changing the way they could select — and remove from office — county sheriffs. The other would give the legislature authority to revoke regulations put in place by the governor or other state agencies in the executive branch.
If you want to vote in this year’s general election, you have until Oct. 18 to register. Here’s how to do it.
- Who can vote?
- How do I register to vote?
- What if my current name doesn’t match the name on my photo ID?
- How do I check my registration?
- When should I update my registration?
- What’s the deadline to register?
- Am I required to register with a political party?
- What if English is my second language?
- What if I have a disability that requires assistance or accommodations?
Who can vote?
To vote in Kansas, you must be a United States citizen and Kansas resident who is 18 years old before the next election. You also need to register with your local elections office.
Under Kansas law, if you have a state or federal felony conviction, you must have completed your entire sentence, including any probation or parole, before you can re-register to vote.
How do I register to vote?
To register, voters will need to fill out the voter registration application either online or on paper using this form, which is also available at your county election office.
If you register using a paper form, you need to mail the form to your county election office or drop it off there. Addresses for each county’s office are listed on the bottom of the form.
For Sedgwick County, mail or deliver the form to:
Sedgwick County Election Office
510 N. Main
Wichita, KS 67203-3798
For Johnson County:
Johnson County Election Office
2101 E. Kansas City Road
Olathe, KS 66061
For Wyandotte County:
Wyandotte County Election Office
850 State Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
You can also register online with KSVotes.org. The site is not officially sanctioned by state election officials — it was built by Loud Light, an advocacy organization that encourages voter turnout among young people — but rather works as a kind of digital voter registration drive. The site forwards a voter’s registration information to their county’s election office, instead of a voter filing it directly. But some users may find the site easier to use than the secretary of state’s online voter registration system, and it currently provides the only fully online registration option for Spanish speakers.
There are a few common mistakes that new voters would be wise to avoid, according to Sedgwick County spokesperson Nicole Gibbs. Those include: not answering the two eligibility questions at the top of the form, not including identification numbers such as a Kansas driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number, forgetting to sign the application and forgetting to check the box to select a party affiliation.
What if my current name doesn’t match the name on my photo ID?
If you have changed your legal name since you last updated your voter registration, you should submit a new voter registration form before Oct. 18 if you plan to vote in the general election. If you plan to vote in-person, the name you use to register will be compared to the name you provide and the photo identification you will show when you vote.
How do I check my registration?
If you have already registered, you can check your voter registration online. You can review the registration information on file with the state, including your party affiliation, address, polling location, sample ballot and the political offices you can vote on.
If information listed does not match what is on file, you have until Oct. 18 to update your registration.
When should I update my registration?
If you have moved, changed your name or wish to change your party affiliation, you should submit an updated voter registration form.
If you are already registered to vote, and you confirmed that your information is current, you do not need to re-register.
What’s the deadline to register?
To vote in the Nov. 8 general election, voters must register by Oct. 18.
Am I required to register with a political party?
No. Party affiliation determines which ballot you receive for the primary election, but the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election will look the same for every voter.
The registration application each voter must fill out has the option to select from four options for party affiliation: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian or no party affiliation.
What if English is my second language?
The Kansas voter registration form is available in Spanish here.
You can mail the printed form at your local county elections office or drop it off there. Addresses for each county’s office are listed on the bottom of the form.
The secretary of state’s office also provides a voter registration guide in Spanish.
The state’s online voter registration system is only available in English at this time. For Spanish speakers who wish to register online, the nonprofit KSVotes.org provides a voter registration form in Spanish.
What if I have a disability that requires assistance or accommodations?
You may register to vote entirely by mail or online if you are unable to make it to your local election office. You may also fill out the registration forms using assistance. You can also contact your local election office to apply to automatically receive advance mail ballots.
If you have additional questions about specific accommodations in registering to vote, you can contact your local county elections office.
Sedgwick County election office:
Online: https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/elections/
Email: voterinformation@sedgwick.gov
Phone: 316-660-7100
Johnson County election office:
Online: https://jocoelection.org/
Email: election@jocoelection.org
Phone: 913-715-6800
Wyandotte County election office:
Online: https://www.wycovotes.org/
Email: election@wycokck.org
Phone: 913-573-8500
