Local voters are bucking a statewide trend in declining to seek advance ballots for the upcoming primary election.
Roughly 150 Allen Countians have requested mail-in ballots for the Aug. 4 primary, a number on par with previous elections.
That is substantially less than the statewide trend, in which more than 142,000 Kansans have filed applications for advance ballots, well above the 54,000 requested at the same point in the last presidential election year.
Through Wednesday, a total of 258 applications have been received for those wishing to vote by mail, the Allen County clerk’s office reported. Of those, 111 have requested mail ballots on a permanent basis — usually because of a disability or illness that precludes them from going to the polling place on Election Day. That leaves the additional 147 applying for mail-in ballots this year.
Applications for mail-in ballots can be requested through the county clerk’s office at (620) 365-1407, or by stopping by the office in the courthouse. Online applications also can be printed through the Secretary of State’s website.
Those wishing to vote in the Aug. 4 primary must be registered by July 14. Advance voting begins the next day. Registration forms can be obtained at the clerk’s office or online with the Secretary of State’s office.
Of note, both the registration forms and advance ballot requests require either the applicant’s driver’s license number or non-driver’s identification card number.
Those measures are acceptable forms of photo identification, which also is required of those voting in person.
Mail-in ballots can be requested through July 28. Those voting by mail must have their ballots postmarked by Aug. 4 to be counted in the primary.
SEVERAL races, both at the county and state level, will be decided in the primary.
On the Republican side, Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy is being challenged by County Commissioner Jerry Daniels. There is no Democratic representation on the ballot, meaning the victor in the primary is a virtual lock to win election in November.
Two Allen County Commission seats are up for grabs.
For District 2, which covers much of northern Allen County, including LaHarpe and Gas, David Lee, Craig Mentzer and Eugene Weatherbie are vying to replace Bill King, who is not running for re-election. The winner will face Democrat Michelle Meiwes in November.
For District 3, which covers much of Iola, Commissioner Bruce Symes is being challenged by former Commissioner John Brocker. The winner will face no challenger on the Democratic side.
Only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote for candidates in the primary election. Those registered as independents or other political affiliation will largely be out of the loop.
