Your guide to voting in the Kansas election: Deadlines, mail voting & Wichita locations
Voters in Sedgwick County will cast their votes in the 2024 presidential race and state and local races on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
With election season creeping up yet again, you may have a list of questions you’re searching to answer: How do I register to vote? What do I need to bring to vote? Can I vote early? Where’s my polling place?
So, we created a quick guide to answer all your voting questions. Here’s what you should know — from how to vote by mail to how to research your ballot and more.
How do I register to vote?
Anyone in Kansas who has yet to register to vote has until Oct. 15 to do so.
U.S. citizens who are 18 years of age or older can register, including 17-year-olds who will turn 18 before Nov. 5. There are several ways to register to vote. You can register online through the Kansas Department of Revenue’s website.
How can I vote by mail?
If you don’t want to wait in lines at the polls, you can apply to vote by mail. You have until Tuesday, Oct. 29, to do so.
To apply, fill out the application form found on the Kansas secretary of state’s website and send it to your county election office. Sedgwick County’s mailing address is 510 N. Main Wichita, KS, 67203-3798.
Your ballot will be sent to you via mail.
Where do I send my mail ballot?
There are several ways to turn in your mail ballot — in person at a polling place or your county’s election office, sending it via mail to the election office or dropping it off at any of your county’s designated drop box locations.
Sedgwick County has 14 ballot drop boxes. They are at:
- Bel Aire City Hall (7651 E. Central Park Ave., Bel Aire)
- Haysville City Hall (200 W. Grand Ave., Haysville)
- Valley Center City Hall (121 S. Meridian Ave., Valley Center)
- Alford Branch Public Library (3447 S. Meridian Ave.)
- Maize City Administration (10100 W. Grady Ave., Maize)
- Derby Public Library (1600 E. Walnut Grove Road, Derby)
- Goddard City Hall (118 N. Main St., Goddard)
- Park City Administration Building (1941 E. 61st St. North, Park City)
- Boston Park Recreation Center (6655 E. Zimmerly)
- Evergreen Park Recreation Center (2700-D N. Woodland)
- 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)
Voters must return their ballots to a drop box, the county election office or a polling place by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
If sent by mail, ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and be at the election office no later than the Friday after Nov. 5. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab warned in September of potential postal delays, so putting it in the mail earlier might be advised.
When can I vote early?
If you don’t want to deal with the Election Day lines, there are multiple early voting sites open for anyone in Sedgwick County.
Early voting begins Oct. 21 at 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 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21-Nov. 1 and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 4. The Extension Office and Reformation Lutheran Church will be open Monday through Fridays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 21-Nov. 2.
Many other early voting locations open Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. All the locations below will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. They are:
- Bel Aire City Building (7651 E. Central Park, Bel Aire)
- Eastminster Presbyterian Church (1958 N. Webb Road)
- Evangel Presbyterian Church (1545 S. 135th St. West)
- Goddard District Conference Center (315 S. Main, Goddard)
- Grace Presbyterian Church (5002 E. Douglas)
- Haysville Community Library (210 Hays, Haysville)
- Machinists Building (3830 S. Meridian Ave.)
- Mount Vernon Methodist Church (5701 E. Mount Vernon)
- Northside Church of Christ (4545 N. Meridian)
- Park City City Hall (1941 E. 61st St. North, Park City)
- Progressive Missionary Baptist Church (2727 E. 25th St. North)
- St Andrew’s Lutheran (2555 Hyacinth Lane)
- Urban League (2418 E. Ninth St.)
- Valley Center Community Center (314 E. Clay, Valley Center)
- Westlink Church of Christ (10025 W. Central)
- Woodland Lakes Community Church (770 S. Greenwich)
- Woodlawn United Methodist Church (431 S. Woodlawn, Derby)
Where’s my polling place on Election Day?
If you’re planning to wait to vote until the actual Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Sedgwick County.
You can find your polling place by visiting the secretary of state’s VoterView website at voteks.org. From there, enter your full name and date of birth. There you can also find your sample ballot.
What do I need to bring to vote?
Voters must bring a valid ID issued by Kansas or another U.S. state in order to vote.
Also accepted are U.S. passports, military IDs, government employee badges, IDs issued by a Native American tribe, concealed carry license or a public assistance ID card issued by the government.
Where can I find information on candidates?
The Wichita Eagle voter guide provides lots of information about the state and local races on your ballot:
▪ What to know about the congressional race for the U.S. House in Kansas’ District 4
▪ Your guide to Wichita-area races for the state Senate in the Kansas Legislature
▪ Meet the candidates running in Wichita-area seats in the Kansas House
▪ Who’s running for the Kansas Board of Election in south-central Kansas?
▪ Here’s who will be on your ballot for Sedgwick County Commission seats
Then go to Kansas.com the night of the election for live results.
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 4:30 AM.
