Kansas

Help Voting in Kansas

If you experience any problems with voting, someone tries to prevent you from exercising your rights, you have a question, or you need help, please call the voter protection hotline at: 833-336-8683. They are available 24/7, and you should have this number saved in your phone, as you may need it in a hurry! However, this number will be very busy, so please see if you can get the help you need here first. But, if you can't get the help you need here, CALL THE HOTLINE!

 

Registering to Vote

  • How Do I Register to Vote?  You can Register to Vote Online here. To register online, you will need to have a valid Kansas driver's license or state-issued ID card (which you will need to upload, so make sure you have a smartphone or the ability to do that on a scanner with another device). If you prefer, you can register to vote by mail using this form: Mail-In Voting Registration Application. You can also register to vote in person at the offices where the state issues driver's licenses and ID cards. If you are a Spanish speaker or know someone who is, here is the Voting Registration Application (Spanish). If you register to vote using the paper form, you will not need to use IDs. They will simply ask you to write down some identifying information, like part of your Social Security number or something similar. 
  • Who Is Eligible to Register/Vote? To register, you must be a US citizen, Kansas resident, and a least 18 years-old before the next election.
  • What is the Deadline to Register? Whether it's online or in person, you must submit your registration application by October 13. If you're mailing your form, it must be POSTMARKED by October 13. Please do it as early as possible, as the election officials are very busy, and you'll want to be able to vote!
  • Does Kansas Have Same Day Registration? No. The GOP-controlled legislature rejected this. That's why voting is so important---you have an opportunity to change these things by making your vote your voice!
  • Can I Register/Vote if I Was Convicted of A Felony? Yes, if you were convicted of a felony, and you have received final discharge from imprisonment, parole, or conditional release, you can vote!
  • How Do I Check to See if I'm Registered? You should ALWAYS check, just in case, and you can do it here: Check My Voter Registration Status in Kansas.
  • Are There Times When I Have to Update My Registration or Re-Register? YES! You MUST re-register each time you change your name, address, or party affiliation for voting. Please allow time for processing. Once complete, your county election officer will confirm that your registration is complete or provide notice that further action is necessary.

Voting In Person

  • Does Kansas Have Early Voting? Yes! It's called Advance Voting. State law allows in-person advance voting to begin up to 20 days before election day at county election offices or satellite voting locations. All counties must offer in-person advance voting no later than one week before election day.
  • Do I Need an ID to Vote? Not always. If you're voting in person, usually the answer is yes, but there are exceptions.
  • What Exceptions Allow Me to Not Have to Bring ID to the Polls? Exemptions exist for individuals 65 years of age or older who may use expired photo IDs or individuals whose religious beliefs prohibit photographic identification. Voters with religious objections may sign an affidavit before the election or at the poll on election day to be exempt.

    State photo ID requirements do not apply to military and overseas citizens who vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA); for mail ballot elections; or voters who qualify, apply and are accepted to the permanent advance voting list, as long as they remain on the permanent advance voting list. 

  • What Forms of ID Are Accepted to Vote? 

    • A driver’s license or nondriver’s ID card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the US,
    • A concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or a concealed carry of handgun or weapon license issued by another state or district of the US,
    • A US passport,
    • An employee badge or ID document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office,
    • A military ID document issued by the United States,
    • A student ID card issued by an accredited postsecondary school in Kansas (colleges and universities),
    • A public assistance ID card issued by a municipal, county, state or federal government office, or
    • An ID issued by a Native American tribe
  • What if I Have an Expired Driver's License or Other ID? No problem! Voters may use driver’s licenses or ID cards that have expired on or after March 12, 2020 in the 2020 general election.
  • Can I Get a Free ID to Vote? YES! Just fill out this form: Get A Free Voting ID-Kansas. Or, you can pick up and fill out his form at available at all driver’s licenses offices, all county election offices and online. Get A Free Voting ID-Kansas (Spanish). 
  • What if I'm in Line When the Polls Close? Stay in line! All voters who are in line when polling locations close are allowed to vote. If anyone gives you trouble about this, call the voter protection hotline IMMEDIATELY, and don't leave the line. We highly recommend you vote by mail or early, but regardless, if you're voting in person, stay in line! You give up your right to vote if you leave the line once the polls are closed.

Voting By Mail

  • Who Is Eligible? Every voter! You do not need an excuse to advance vote by mail ballot. However, you do need to apply to have an advanced by mail ballot mailed to you for each election as they are NOT mandatory and are sent to voters by county election offices at the request of the voter.
  • How Do I Apply to Vote By Mail? Fill out this form: Apply to Vote By Mail in Kansas, and mail it back to the address listed on the form.
  • Can I Apply to Vote By Mail Permanently? Yes, if you're disabled, you can! Fill out this form, and mail it to the address on the Application to Vote By Mail Permanently.
  • What is the Deadline to Submit My Application? October 27, but DO NOT WAIT this long, please! The sooner your application is received, the sooner it can be processed. You don't want to not get your ballot in time to vote!
  • Do I Need to Show ID if I Vote By Mail? No.
  • What is the Deadline to Return My Vote By Mail Ballot? All vote-by-mail ballots MUST be postmarked on or before Election Day AND received in the county election office by the close of business on the Friday following the election. This means you need to mail it in SOON, because if you wait until the last minute, your ballot may not be received in time, and then your vote won't count.
  • How Can I Track My Application or Ballot?  Go to this page.