Who can vote in August elections in Wichita, Maize? Your guide to casting a ballot
Primary Election Day in Wichita is Tuesday, Aug. 5, but only some voters are set to head to the polls.
On the ballot this August is one Wichita City Council race and two races for Wichita Public Schools Board of Education — but voters will only be able to cast a ballot in races taking place in their district.
Running for Wichita City Council District 1 are candidates Aujanae Bennett, Darryl Carrington, LaWanda DeShazer, Chris Pumpelly and Joseph Shepard. The two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to November’s general election.
District 1’s seat is currently held by Brandon Johnson, who is vacating the seat due to term limits. The district includes parts of northeast and north-central Wichita, generally stretching from Kellogg north to 37th Street between Hydraulic and Woodlawn.
You can find a map of the districts in Sedgwick County and Wichita on Sedgwick County’s website.
Running for the District 1 school board seat are incumbent Diane Albert, Sarah McMillen, Mackenzi Truelove and Kyle Wiseman. Incumbent Kathy Bond, Michelle Cunningham, Amy Jensen, Phillip Samuels and Caleb Smith are running for the District 5 board seat.
Maize voters will also decide whether or not to implement a 1% sales tax. Eighty five percent of the revenue from the tax — which would begin Jan. 1 and last until 2036 — would go to street, sidewalk and drainage projects, while 15% would go to property tax relief.
Where can I cast an early vote in the Wichita, Maize primary election?
If you can’t make it to the polls Tuesday, you can cast your vote early at the Sedgwick County Election Office, located at 510 N. Main. The office will close early voting at noon on Monday, Aug. 4.
In addition to the election office, there are five satellite voting locations registered voters can visit starting Thursday, July 31. They are:
- Bel Aire City Building, 7651 E. Central Park
- Grace Presbyterian Church, 5002 E. Douglas
- Maize City Hall, 10100 W. Grady
- Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, 2727 E. 25th St. North
- Westlink Church of Christ, 10025 W. Central
These locations are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Aug. 2. The satellite voting locations are closed Sunday.
How do I return my mail-in ballot?
If you opted to vote by mail this primary election, you can mail your ballot back to the Sedgwick County election office or drop it off at one of the county’s drop-off boxes.
Here’s a list of drop boxes in Sedgwick County open this primary election:
- Wichita Public Library Alford Branch, 3447 S. Meridian
- Maize City Hall, 10100 W. Grady
- Park City City Hall, 1941 E. 61st St. North
- Edgemoor Park Recreation Center, 5815 E. Ninth St.
- Orchard Park Recreation Center, 4808 W. Ninth St.
- Linwood Park Recreation Center, 1901 S. Kansas
- Sedgwick County Courthouse, 525 N. Main
How do I find my Election Day polling place?
If you’re waiting until Election Day to vote, be sure to check ahead of time to see where your designated polling place is located.
You can do so by entering your first and last name and date of birth in the Kansas Secretary of State’s VoterView website. From there, you can see your up-to-date voter registration, your polling place for the next election and a sample ballot.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
What’s the weather forecast on Election Day?
The National Weather Service’s forecast for Wichita shows a sunny day with a high of around 89 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday.
Where can I find candidate information?
The Eagle’s stories on all the races on the ballot can be found on our website, Kansas.com.
You can also follow The Eagle’s comprehensive coverage of the primary election there Tuesday.
