Election offices in Kansas will take mail-in ballots to the post office Wednesday to be shipped off to voters.
THIS ELECTION - MOREVOTERS ARE EXPECTED TOVOTE BY MAIL THAN EVERBEFORE - DUE TO COVID-19CONCERNS.ON WEDNESDAY - 150-THOUSAND BALLOTS WILLBE MAILED OUT TOJOHNSON COUNTYVOTERS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JORDAN BETTSEXPLAINS HOW ELECTIONOFFICE'S ARE HANDLINGTHE MASSIVE DEMAND.Connie Schmidt, Johnson Countyelection commissioner"We have a lot of registeredvoters in Johnson County.
Weare closely, we are going to beclose to 450,000 before long.IT'S AN ELECTION LIKENEVER BEFORE.Connie Schmidt, Johnson Countyelection commissioner"Internally, we really think weare going to have at least 50percent of our expected tovote on election day in the bymail category."BECAUSE OF COVID-19CONCERNS, MANY VOTERSARE CHOOSING TO VOTEBY MAIL.ACCORDING TO THEKANSAS SECRETARY OFSTATE'S OFFICE, THEREARE MORE THAN 444,000ADVANCE VOTINGAPPLICATIONS, THAT ISNEARLY 24 PERCENT OFALL REGISTERED VOTERS.THAT'S DOUBLE THENUMBER OF ADVANCEVOTING APPLICATIONS THESTATE RECEIVED IN THE2016s PRESIDENTIALELECTIONON WEDNESDAY, THOSEBALLOTS WILL HEAD TOTHE POST OFFICE.Connie Schmidt, Johnson Countyelection commissioner"The ones we have queuedup right now will go to the postoffice on Wednesday.
So,that's right at 150,000."DOUGLAS COUNTY SEEINGAN INCREASE INREQUESTS AS THEY ARETHE TOP COUNTY INKANSAS IN PERCENTAGEOF REGISTERED VOTERS.Jamie Shew, Douglas County Clerk"Our total vote in 2008 was54,000 voters.
So, we aregetting ready to mail 29,000when the most we have everhad vote is 54,000.
So, we aremailing on Wednesday morethan half of our projectedturnout."BUT THIS DOESN'T MEANYOU WILL RECIEVE ITINSTANTLY.Connie Schmidt, Johnson Countyelection commissioner"So, it will take time based onwhere in the county everyonelives.
They will be delivered totheir home post officeprobably through the weekendand part of next week."ELECTION OFFICIALS SAYONCE YOU GET THEBALLOT, FILL IT OUT ASAP.Connie Schmidt, Johnson Countyelection commissioner"Be sure to sign the back ofthe ballot envelope.
That isreally critical.
You have tohave a signature on the backof the envelope."AND TO BE PATIENT WHENWAITING FOR YOURVOTING TICKET.THIS TIME MIGHT BESTRESSFUL FORELECTIONS OFFICES, BUTTHEY ARE EXCITED TO SEEPEOPLE WANTING TO HAVETHEIR VOICE HEARD ONELECTION DAY.Jamie Shew, Douglas County Clerk"The ballots are ready to go.They envelopes are ready togo.
They are waiting to go tothe post office and to see thatamount of envelopes is prettyincredible to see."IF YOU PLAN TO VOTEEARLY, IN-PERSON INJOHNSON COUNTY - THEELECTION OFFICE HASTHREE NEW PLACES YOUCAN GET THAT DONE.YOU CAN CAST YOURBALLOT AT THE OAK PARKMALL, OVERLAND PARKCONVENTION CENTER, ANDTHE OLATHE INDIAN CREEKLIBRARY.ALL TEN ADVANCEDVOTING LOCAT
If not, you can drop off your ballot in the box outside the Olmsted County Elections Office.
