Sedgwick County voters will find more advance polling sites, other changes

Sedgwick County voters will see several changes during this upcoming midterm election.

Along with a new election office in northeast Wichita, several new polling locations have been added for early voting, satellite voting and Election Day.

During the early voting period, two weeks before Election Days, voters will be able to cast ballots downtown at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St. N. and on the west side at the Sedgwick County Extension Office, 7001 W. 21st St., as well as at the new election office, 3639 N. Comotara.

It’s a promise Sedgwick County Election Commission Laura Rainwater made when the new location was purchased.

“I want voting to be accessible for all voters. I want to make it easy,” Rainwater said.

The election office has added a new polling location in Park City at the senior center for satellite voting. That’s along with 10 new locations on Election Day, which is likely to affect about 41,000 voters or about 10% of the county’s registered voters.

Those new locations are mostly at public schools across Wichita.

“The partnership with the school district is huge,” Rainwater said.

Postcards updating affected voters have gone out, but Rainwater encourages voters to check their registration before going to the polls.

“We’re doing it to make voting easier,” she said. “You’ll get used to your new location. It may be an inconvenience, this first two elections, but you’ll get used to it.”

With the expansion, Rainwater said she needs 200 to 250 more election workers.

To qualify, workers must be a registered voter or a student 16 years or older. They also can’t be running for elected office.

The primary election is Aug. 4. The general election is Nov. 3.