Long lines at Sedgwick County voting sites set record for first day of early voting
More than 3,600 people turned out Monday in Sedgwick County to cast their ballot on the first day of early in-person voting for the 2024 general election.
Long lines formed outside early voting places in the county, and Tuesday morning saw more of the same.
Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater said Monday was a record-setting day for the first day of early voting, but figures for comparable first days in the 2016 and 2020 November general elections were not immediately available.
Monday ended with a 3,627 in-person votes cast. In 2016, about 51,000 early in-person votes were cast, and 2020 saw 67,000 early voters, according to data from the Sedgwick County Election Office.
Two of the county’s three early voting sites saw long lines Monday. Reformation Lutheran Church’s line in east Wichita trailed back into the parking lot.
Simultaneously on the opposite side of town, the Sedgwick County Extension Office saw two long lines coming out of either side of the building Monday.
The three early voting sites are the Sedgwick County Election Office, 510 N. Main, No. 101; the Sedgwick County Extension Office, 7001 W. 21st St., and Reformation Lutheran Church, 7601 E. 13th St.
The Election Office will be open to voters Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 1, and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4. The Extension Office and Reformation Lutheran Church will be open for voting Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Nov. 2.
Other early voting locations open Oct. 29 and go through Nov. 2. Those locations can be found by clicking here.
This year’s election will see a variety of national, state and local elections, highlighted by a fierce battle between former president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
The traditional Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
More election coverage from The Eagle
Kansans are showing up to vote early in record numbers. What could that mean?
When does early voting begin in Kansas? How can I get a ballot? Key deadlines to know
2024 Wichita-area voter guide: What to know about candidates, where and how to vote
This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 1:01 PM.