An unprecedented election is at play for the next President of the United States — but other impactful races will make a difference for Kansans this election year as well. State and local elections can have significant effects on your daily life, and with fewer voters casting ballots for these positions, your vote can have an even bigger impact. Leaders at the local and state levels make decisions on how to spend local tax dollars for services such as public safety, roads and infrastructure, schools, community-based resources and more. 

The statewide primary election is August 6. Voters who are registered as Democrats and Republicans can vote for which candidates they want to represent their parties in the general election. The general election is November 5, where any registered voter will cast votes for federal, state and local races. 

The Races

On a federal level, Kansans will vote for U.S. House seats in addition to President this year. The four representatives in the U.S. House are elected based on your congressional district: Most counties in south-central Kansas fall into District 4, including Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, Cowley, Kingman and Sumner counties, among others. Much of the state falls into District 1, including Reno County and most of central and western Kansas. 

The Kansas State Senate and the Kansas House of Representatives are also divided into smaller districts. In Kansas Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 voters will be filling several seats for the Kansas Board of Education, and six appellate judges are up for retention election. On a local level, Sedgwick County voters will cast ballots for county clerk, district attorney, register of deeds, sheriff and treasurer. 

Check Your Voter Registration and Cast Your Vote

Ahead of election season, you’ll want to make sure you know how and where to cast your ballot. First, check your voter registration status at myvoteinfo.voteks.org. This will show whether you’re registered, your assigned polling location and more. It’s important to note that even if you changed your address on your state-issued driver’s license recently, you have to re-register to vote for that new address to appear on your voter registration. Anyone with a valid state driver’s license or non-driver ID can register to vote online, otherwise you could register with a paper application. 

You can cast your ballot in person or via mail. If you’re voting in person, you must present a valid ID. Advance in-person voting starts on July 17 for the primary election, but the Kansas Secretary of State encourages you to verify that date with your county election office first. Polling locations are required to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day for in-person voters. 

Ballots look different depending on where you live, so make sure to visit your county election office’s website for a list of candidates. As the general election nears, look for locally hosted candidate debates and candidate profiles through local newspapers, television and radio broadcasts. 

Find more voter information on the Kansas Secretary of State website here: sos.ks.gov/elections/voter-information.html