Q. Do I have to live in Kansas for a certain amount of time to be eligible to vote?

A. No, Kansas does not have a length of residence requirement. However, you have to be registered 21 days prior to an election and be a resident of Kansas at the time of registration.

Q. Can I pre-register if I will be 18 years old before the next election?

A. If you are 17 years old and will be 18 before the next election, you may apply to register to vote. Individuals are not allowed to vote in any election if they are not registered to vote and 18 years of age.

Q. What are the disqualifications for voting in Kansas?

A. Individuals may be found disqualified to vote by reason of death, federal or state felony conviction or by declaration of a Kansas Court of Law.

Q. I have a felony conviction, can I vote?

A. A federal or state felony conviction results in the loss of voting rights until the terms of the felony sentence is complete. If on probation or parole, a sentence is not considered complete until your probation or parole is finished.

Individuals who lose their voting rights due to a felony conviction may re-register to vote upon completion of their sentence. The voter registration form includes an affidavit above the signature line attesting an individual’s right to vote has been restored. Signing a false affidavit is a felony and could result in the loss of voting rights, if convicted.

Q. What if my certificate of registration has incorrect information?

A. After registering to vote, you should receive a certificate of registration from your local county election officer. If any information on the certificate is incorrect, please contact your local election office immediately.

Q. I moved to a new address in the county I’m currently registered in, can I vote?

A. Individuals who move to a new address within the same county should update their information as soon as possible. If you move after the registration deadline, you may vote at the precinct assigned to your old address, but you will be required to complete a new voter registration application.

Q. I moved from one county to another county in Kansas, how do I vote?

A. If you move to a new county in Kansas before the registration deadline, you must complete a new voter registration application. If you move after the registration deadline, you can still vote at the precinct assigned to your old address, but you will be required to complete a new voter registration application.

Q. I moved to Kansas from another state, when can I vote?

A. You should register to vote in Kansas as soon as possible after moving. If 45 days before an election and the deadline to register has passed, you may vote a president-only ballot. To vote a president-only ballot, you must go to your local election office by noon on the day before the election and complete voter registration forms.

Q. Can I review a sample ballot prior to voting?

A. Yes! You can view sample ballots online starting 45 days prior to election or you may request a sample ballot at your local election office or at your polling place. To view sample ballots online, visit: myvoteinfo.voteks.org

Q. What if I’m still in line when polls close?

A. Stay in line! All voters who are in line when polling locations close are allowed to vote.

Q. What should I expect when voting in Kansas?

A. To vote at a polling place, either on or before Election Day, you can expect to do the following:

• State your legal name
• Provide photographic identification
• State your address
• Sign the poll book
• Receive your ballot and proceed to a voting booth OR proceed to an electronic voting machine
• Review the ballot, paying close attention to instructions, then make your selection(s)
• Review your ballot to make sure it is complete and accurate
• Cast your ballot
• Exit the polling place (don’t forget your sticker)

Q. What if I make a mistake, can I request another ballot?

A. Yes, voters may obtain up to two replacement ballots if there is mismarked or spoiled ballots.

Q. I live overseas and applied to cast a federal services voter ballot. How long is my application good for?

A. Ballot applications from qualified federal service voters are good for the calendar year in which it was submitted.

Q. How do I get my ballot if I live overseas and cast a ballot under the federal voting assistance program (UOVACA)?

A. Voters who participate in the federal voting assistance program choose their preferred method of ballot delivery – mail, fax or email – when they complete their application. We recommend individuals who choose to cast a ballot via email return it to their local election office through an encrypted email.

Q. Do all Kansas counties have to offer advance in-person voting?

A. Yes. 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.

Q. Do I have to show photo ID to advance in-person vote?

A. State law requires Kansas voters to show photographic identification when casting a vote in person, this includes voting advance in-person. If the voter does not provide identification or it is not valid, the voter will be issued a provisional ballot.

Q. What is the difference between all mail ballot elections and advance by mail ballots?

A. Kansas only conducts an election entirely by mail, without the use of polling places, in question-submitted elections only. K.S.A. 25-432(d) prohibits all mail elections when a candidate appears on the ballot.

Advance voting by mail has been allowed to all Kansas voters since 1996. 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.

Q. Is it safe to cast an advance by mail ballot?

A. Kansas has several key security provisions in place for verifying the legitimacy of advance by mail ballots and those who cast them. They include:

• K.S.A. 25-1122(e)(1) requires county election offices compare the signature on the advance by mail ballot application with the signature on voter registration records to verify the voter, and not a third party, requested the advance by mail ballot. If the signatures do not match, the signature may be challenged, and the county election office will contact the voter to verify the signature.
• Voters must provide the number of their photo identification (e,g., driver’s license) on the advance by mail ballot application. In the event identification information cannot be verified, K.S.A. 25-1122(c) states the applicant must provide a copy of an acceptable form of photographic identification.
• When a voter has completed their advance by mail ballot, they must sign the outside of the ballot envelope. That signature is then reviewed with voter registration records. If the signatures do not match, the signature may be challenged, and the county election office will contact the voter to verify the signature.

Q. How can I find out the status of my advance by mail ballot application and/or ballot?

A. Voters can call their local election office to check on the status of their advance by mail ballot application and/or ballot. In addition, for the first time, voters can track the status of their advance by mail ballot application and advance by mail ballot online at myvoteinfo.voteks.org.

Q. I requested a mail-in ballot for the election. Can I vote in person or do I need to fill out my mail-in ballot?

A. Voters who requested an advance by mail ballot but choose to cast their ballot in person will be given a provisional ballot to ensure they only vote once.

Q. What types of photo ID are acceptable in Kansas? Do exemptions exist?

A. State law requires voters to show photographic identification when casting a vote in person. If the photo ID has an expiration date on it, the ID must not have expired at the time of voting. An acceptable photo ID does not have to have an expiration date on the document in order to be valid. Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

• A driver’s license or nondriver’s identification card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the United States;
• 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 United States;
• A United States passport;
• An employee badge or identification document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office;
• A military identification document issued by the United States;
• A student identification card issued by an accredited postsecondary institution of education in the state of Kansas;
• A public assistance identification card issued by a municipal, county, state or federal government office; and
• An identification card issued by an Indian tribe.

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.

Q. Do I have to provide photo ID for mail ballot elections?

A. No. Photo ID requirements do not apply in mail ballot elections. Mail ballot elections are limited to local jurisdictions holding special question-submitted elections.

Q. I do not have an approved government-issued photo ID and cannot afford to get one. What are my options?

A. Registered voters who do not have an approved government-issued photo ID and would like one to vote may apply for a free nondriver identification card with the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles. To get a free photo ID, individual must fill out a Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card (Form DE-VID1 (Español)). This form is available at all driver’s licenses offices, all county election offices and online.

Q. I tried to get a free nondriver identification card so I can vote but I first need to get a birth certificate to prove my identity and residence. Help!

A. Qualifying individuals who lack proof of identity and want to obtain a free nondriver identification card may get a Kansas birth certificate from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics at no cost. To qualify, individuals must:

• Not possess and valid photo identification documents under Kansas law
• Lack any documents necessary to prove their identity
• Sign an affidavit attesting they do not have a valid photo ID or documents to prove their identity
• Be registered to vote in Kansas
• Have been born in Kansas

To get a free birth certificate to obtain a nondriver identification form, individual must submit the following forms to the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics:

• Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Birth Certificate (Form VS-235)
• Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card ((Form DE-VID1 (Español))

Q. I was not born in Kansas and cannot locate an acceptable form that shows proof of my identity but I want to vote in the upcoming election. Money is tight and I cannot afford to pay for a birth certificate in another state. What are my options?

A. Individuals born outside of Kansas, who do not have proof of identity and who do not wish to pay to obtain such a document from their home state may apply for a State Voter Identification Document. This document can only be used to vote in Kansas.

To qualify for a State Voter Identification Document, individuals must:

• Not possess and valid photo identification documents under Kansas law
• Lack any documents necessary to prove their identity
• Sign an affidavit attesting they do not have a valid photo ID or documents to prove their identity
• Be registered to vote in Kansas
• Have not been born in Kansas