Got questions about voting? We’ve got answers

Tabitha Lehman is prepping for a good turnout for the Nov. 6 general election.

“We’re looking good to have a large turnout, so we’re excited about that,” Sedgwick County’s election commissioner said. “I’m kind of expecting around 70 percent.”

About 272,000 people are registered to vote in Sedgwick County. Turnout for the 2008 presidential election was nearly 75 percent in the county.

A lot is at stake in this election. Voters will choose a president and a new sheriff, as well as state legislators. Wichita voters also will decide whether to fluoridate the city’s drinking water.

Advance balloting by mail began last week. As of Tuesday afternoon, Lehman’s office had sent out more than 71,000 advance mail-in ballots and had received just shy of 11,000.

Advance voting in person begins Wednesday in Sedgwick County at the election office on the first floor of the historic courthouse at 510 N. Main in Wichita. You may vote there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day the rest of this week and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 29 to Nov. 2.

Here is other information that might help you vote:

Where can I see a sample ballot? Go to www.voteks.org. You will need to input your name and date of birth. You can also build your own sample ballot by going to The Eagle’s online voter guide at www.kansas.com/politics and punching in your address to see information on the races you can vote on.

Where do I vote?

This week, you can vote in person only at the election office. Beginning next Tuesday, you can vote at sites across the county. The list is lower in this story. If you wait to vote until Nov. 6, you must vote at your assigned polling place. To find your assigned site, go to https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org.

What should I take to the polls? Take your government-issued photo ID.

What counts as a proper ID? A driver’s license or ID card issued by Kansas or another state, a U.S. passport, a student ID card from an accredited post-secondary educational institution in Kansas, a military ID, an employee badge or ID document issued by a government office, a concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or by another state or a public assistance ID card used by a government office.

What if I have questions about voting?

Call the Sedgwick County Election Office at 316-660-7100.

Can I vote on the fluoridation issue if I live outside of Wichita? No. Although the water you drink may be purchased from Wichita, only people who live in the city limits can vote on whether or not to fluoridate Wichita’s water supply.

Can I still get a mail-in ballot? Yes. Get an advance voting application from the election office, online at www.sedgwickcounty.org/elections, or at most area Dillons stores. Fill it out and fax or mail it to the election office. Advance ballots will be mailed to those who apply. The last day the office will mail out advance ballots is Nov. 2.

When do I need to return my mail-in ballot? Advance ballots are due to the election office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 6.

I’m worried I didn’t sign the envelope on my advance mail-in ballot. What should I do?

Signing the envelope is required for your vote to count, so if you think you might not have signed it, call the election office at 316-660-7100 to see if your ballot was accepted. Or go to the office on the first floor of the historic courthouse at 510 N. Main in Wichita to sign it.

When does advance voting at other locations start? You may vote from noon to 7 p.m. Oct. 30, noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 31, noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 3 at these locations:

I need a ride to the polls. Who should I call? The Wichita chapter of the League of Women Voters will provides rides to the polls to advance voting sites and on Election Day. Call Carole Neal at 316-259-7575.

Sedgwick County’s Democratic Party will provide rides to advance voting sites and on Election Day. Call the party’s headquarters at 316-262-7534.

Sedgwick County’s Republican Party will provide rides only on Election Day, Nov. 6. Call the party’s headquarters at 316-263-0550.

Where can I vote in advance in other counties?

This story was originally published October 23, 2012 at 9:24 PM with the headline "Got questions about voting? We’ve got answers."