VOTING BY MAIL

If we haven’t told you yet – we LOVE voting by mail. And, Kansas has made it extremely easy to do so. Anyone in Kansas can choose to vote by mail – you don’t need any special reason to do so! Still, we understand you might have some questions, so check out our FAQ below and start voting by mail confidently.

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Why We ❤️ Voting By Mail

It’s convenient.

Life happens. And, sometimes waiting in line at your polling place is the last thing on your to-do list. Voting by mail gives you the flexibility and freedom to vote on your schedule. Your ballot shows up at your door (no more forgetting about those pesky primaries!) and you return it however works for you: mail it back, drop it at a secure dropbox, or return it to your polling place.

It’s empowering.

No more showing up on Election Day only to realize you don’t know half of the people on your ballot. Voting by mail lets you cast your vote confidently, giving you time to research the candidates and issues on your ballot with it right in front of you!

It’s successful.

A lot of things can go wrong on election day – car trouble, obligations running late, a pandemic (!). But, 98% of the voters we connect with that choose to vote by mail actually get it done. That is an incredible success rate, and we don’t think it is a coincidence.

2023 Voting by Mail Timeline

If you want to vote by mail in the upcoming November 7 election (which we’d recommend!), keep these key dates in mind:

MID SEPT: You can submit your request for an mail-in ballot online at www.KSVotes.org

OCTOBER 18: Advance Voting by mail begins – 20 days prior to Election Day. Ballots will be mailed out, and you should expect to see one in your mailbox soon. Check its status at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView

OCTOBER 31: Technically the last day to submit your request for a mail-in ballot, but we do not recommend you wait this long! Mail can be slow!

NOVEMBER 7: Primary Election Day! If your ballot is still on you kitchen counter, fill it out and drop it at a dropbox, the election office, or your polling place.

FAQs

This is a list of the frequently asked questions The Voter Network has been getting about voting by mail in Kansas. We’ve done our best to answer them accurately and clearly, but if you have more questions, please email us at contact@thevoternetwork.org.

Can I vote by mail in the November 07 General Election?

YES! Every registered voter should and can vote in the upcoming November 07 election. Local elections are important, and everyone will have meaningful races on their ballot like Mayoral, City Council, and School Board Races. You can request a mail-in ballot for this election. It might even be preferable, giving you time to fully read and research the candidates on your ballot.

Will I automatically receive a mail-in ballot?

NO*! You must fill out an application to request a mail-in-ballot in Kansas. You can request a mail-in ballot online at KSVotes.org. It only takes a few minutes! 

Please note: you have to fill out an application for every election. When you complete your application online, you are able to check a box next to both election dates to request a ballot for BOTH the August and November election. If you only checked the August 1 primary election in the recent election, for example, you will have to request another ballot for the upcoming November 7 general election!

*If you’ve previously signed up to receive a permanent advance ballot, you will automatically be sent your ballot.This is an option does not apply to most voters – mostly voters who have a disability that prevents them from easily getting to and from a polling place. If you think you might be eligible, go ahead and sign up at KSVotes.org.

How do I apply for a mail-in ballot, and when will it get here already?!

You can request a mail-in ballot as soon as September hits up until October 31, 2023. But don’t wait that long! Election offices get busy this time of year, so the sooner the better. Use KSVotes.org to fill out the application. It’s all online and only takes a few minutes! Even if you do that tomorrow the actual ballots won’t be mailed until a few weeks before the election.

If you really, really don’t want to apply online. You can also print out this application (or pick one up at your election office) and mail it into or drop it off at your election office.

Can I check to see if I've requested a mail-in ballot?

Yes, sort of. That information is provided by the Office of the Kansas Secretary of State, but the data isn’t updated frequently until closer to the election. Have patience when checking the status of your ballot on Kansas VoterView or on your Voter to Voter dashboard. (Don’t know about Voter to Voter? Learn more here.)

Do I need to have an ID to request a ballot?

When you fill out an application to vote by mail you’ll be asked for your Kansas driver’s license number, which can be cross checked against DMV records for validity. If you’re choosing to vote by mail and you don’t have a Kansas driver’s license, you’ll need to scan or take a picture of another form of photo ID and include it with your application or email it to your county election official (or Reply All to the confirmation you get from KSVotes.org, and attach a photo).

What if I requested a ballot, but didn’t get it?

First, make sure you have requested a mail-in ballot for this election. You can check the status here or request an application here. If you’ve requested a ballot, and you have not received your ballot but your friends and family have, you can call your county election office to replace your mail-in ballot (as long as it is at least a week before the election.) 

If it’s less than a week out from the election and you still have not received your ballot, go vote early or on election day! You might have to vote on a provisional ballot, but that is totally okay!

How many stamps do I need?!

That’s a good question! The amount of postage required is a county-level decision so the number of stamps you’ll need will depend on where you live in Kansas. Some counties, like Shawnee County, don’t require a stamp at all! It’s likely that the amount will be listed on the envelope where you would normally put a stamp, so check there. 

If you haven’t bought a stamp since 1998, don’t worry, it’s really easy to do at stamps.com (where you can print out postage) or your post office. Or, just drop it off for free.

Woah! I can drop my ballot off somewhere?

Yup! There are plenty of options if you’d prefer not to mail in your ballot. You can drop off your mail-in ballot at any polling site in your county on Election Day. You could also drop off your ballot at any early voting location in your county, which includes your county election or clerk’s office. You can even drop your ballot in a designated drop box. Find all of these locations at KSBallot.org by using the ‘How to Vote’ button in the top right hand corner.

Any other tricky steps?

You need to sign your envelope! (See the picture) There’s a spot on the back, labeled 1, to sign and a lot of people miss it. Also if someone else is helping you fill out your ballot, or delivering it on your behalf, they also need to sign the back in section 2.

 

If I requested a mail-in ballot, can I still vote in person?

If you really, really want to go to your polling place or an early vote site, you should TAKE YOUR ADVANCE BALLOT WITH YOU! The poll workers have a list of everyone who requested a ballot so they will be looking for you to bring your ballot with you.

Can I still vote if I’ve lost my ballot?

Yes! If it is too late to request a new ballot (less than a week until Election Day) you can vote in person. Go to your early voting site or your polling place to vote. You will have to vote a provisional ballot, but when the election office confirms that you didn’t return your original mail ballot they will count your provisional ballot.

 

If I have to vote a provisional ballot, will it get counted?

Yes! The provisional ballot system is there to make sure your vote gets counted if something unusual happens. It protects your right to vote, while also protecting the integrity of our elections. Those are both good things! If you’re nervous about having to vote a provisional ballot, make sure you get your mail-in ballot sent back as soon as possible, or drop it off somewhere! Your early voting sites and dropbox locations will be listed in KSBallot.org by October.

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