Register to Vote FAQ Sheets

Table of Contents 

• What Is a Voter Registration?
• Who Can Register to Vote?
• How to Register to Vote in Kansas
• Third-Party Voting Registration Organizations
• How to Update Your Voter Registration
• About the Voter Registration Card
• How to Check the Status of Your Voter Registration
• Type of Elections
• When Are the Upcoming Election Dates and Registration Deadlines?
  
• Where Can I Vote?
• How Do I Cast My Vote?
• How Do I Vote If I Recently Moved?
• Where Can I Find Information About Candidates Who Are Running for Office?
• What Are the Government Office Positions That We Vote for During Elections?
• Need More Help?
• View or Download Our Free Guide

What Is a Voter Registration?

U.S. citizens must register to vote if they wish to participate in local, state, and federal elections. The purpose of the registration is for states to be able to verify their residents’ eligibility to vote because certain circumstances can disqualify a citizens’ right to vote in the U.S.

To register to vote, you must fill out a voting registration application and provide documents that prove you are qualified. You can do this online through your state office of elections, through third party companies that provide voting registration services, or in person at your local county elections office.

After successfully registering to vote, your state will maail you a voter registration card.

Learn more about Voter Registration on the USA.gov Voter Registration webpage here. Or, find further information on the Kansas Voter Registration Form here.

Who Can Register to Vote?

To register to vote in Kansas, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be 18 years of age on or before Election Day.
• Live in Kansas and in the county for 30 days prior to the election.
• Not have a disqualifying felony conviction. Your voting rights are restored once you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole.
• Not have been deemed “mentally incompetent” by a court of law.
• Present valid photo identification at the voting site.

You have the right to vote if you meet the eligibility requirements. Call the Election Protection Hotline at (866) 687-8683 immediately if anyone tries to stop you from voting, such as:

• Presenting false information about voting requirements.
• Harassment (including harassing questions about your qualifications).
• Intimidation or bullying.
• People impersonating poll workers or election officials.

Learn more about election protection on Vote.org’s guide here.

Find out more about the eligibility requirements for voter registration in Kansas here.

How to Register to Vote in Kansas

To register to vote in Kansas, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the information and documents you will need for the application. 

Learn what documents you will need here.

2. Choose how you are going to register, whether online, by mail or in person.

To register to vote online, click here to use the Kansas Online Voter Registration Application. You can only use this system if you have a Kansas driver’s license or ID card.

To register to vote by mail, click here to access the Kansas Voter Registration Form. Mail the completed form to your local County Election Office. Find your nearest office and contact information here.

To register to vote in person, visit your local County Election Office. Find your nearest office and contact information at the bottom of this section. Or, view the County Election list here.

3. Submit your voter registration form before the deadline. 

You must register to vote at least 21 days before the election day.

If you have questions on the voter registration process, contact your local County Election Office. Find your nearest office and contact information below and here.

You can also contact the Kansas Elections Division by phone at (785) 296-4561 or by email at election@ks.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Third-Party Voting Registration Organizations

Third-party organizations are also resources to register to vote. They also provide other voting-related services, such as:

• Register to vote in your state.
• Check your registration status.
• Request absentee ballots to vote by mail in your state.
• Get election reminders.
• Locate your nearest local polling place.
• Fill out census forms.

These organizations typically help you register to vote online through their websites. They process your voting registration application for free.

They also provide information and answer any questions you may have regarding voting registration, where and how to vote, and other helpful information. Check out the contact information for third-party organizations that provide registration assistance and services below:

• Vote.org at Vote.org

• Rock the Vote at RockTheVote.org
• U.S. Vote Foundation at USVoteFoundation.org
• When We All Vote at WhenWeAllVote.org

How to Update Your Voter Registration

Voters will need to update their voter registration if they have changed their name or address, or if they wish to change their political affiliation.

If you need to update your voter registration, you must complete the registration process once again. You can use the same online, by-mail and in-person methods detailed above.

About the Voter Registration Card

In Kansas, a “voter registration card” and the “voter registration form” refer to the same document. View or download the Kansas voter registration card/form here. 

The voter registration card cannot be used for identification, so you will need to bring a valid ID to vote.

If you registered to vote by mail, the county clerk where you registered will mail you a card as confirmation.

Learn more about the Kansas voter registration here.

How to Check the Status of Your Voter Registration

You can check your voter status by inputting your personal information into the Kansas VoterView tool here.

You can also contact your local County Election Office to check your voter status. Find your nearest office and contact information here.

You can also check your voter registration status and more at one of the third-party organizations listed in the “Third-Party Voting Registration Organizations” section above.

Type of Elections

The different types of elections in Kansas include:

• General elections are held to elect candidates into elected offices of president, vice president, congress, and state and county electors. These elections are in November.

• Primary elections are held to decide who will be on the ballot for the general election. In Kansas, all candidates for elective offices must be nominated by winning the primary election. The dates of these election days occur throughout the year.

• Special elections are held to elect candidates into office. They can be held at any time for any legal purpose.

When Are the Upcoming Election Dates and Registration Deadlines?

To see upcoming election dates and voter registration deadlines, click here.

You can also see upcoming election dates and voter registration deadlines on RocktheVote.org here.

You can stay on top of upcoming elections by signing up for reminders through:

• The Federal Voting Assistance Program here.
• Vote.org here.
• RocktheVote.org here.

Where Can I Vote?

Kansas residents who are registered to vote must do so in their designated polling location. To find your polling location, you can:

• Click here to use the Kansas Secretary of State’s Voting Location Tool.
• Contact your local County Election Office for more information. Find your nearest office and contact information here.

How Do I Cast My Vote?

To cast a vote in person, find your designated polling location here. When visiting a polling location on the election day, you must bring a photo ID.

To cast a vote by mail, you will need to request an Application for Advance Ballot by Mail. Find out more about who is eligible for absentee voting in Kansas here. Access the Kansas Application for Advance Ballot by Mail form here.

How Do I Vote If I Recently Moved?

If you have moved out of your voting district, you will need to register to vote once again and provide your updated address. You can register to vote in the following ways:

• To register to vote online, click here to use the Kansas Voter Registration Form. You can only use this system if you have a Kansas driver’s license or ID card.
• To register to vote by mail, click here to access the Kansas Voter Registration Form. Mail the completed form to your local County Election Office. Find your nearest office and contact information here.
• To register to vote in person, visit your local County Election Office. Find your nearest County Election Office and contact information here.

If you move out of Kansas, you will need to register to vote in your new state. Learn more about the voter registration process on a national scale here.

Where Can I Find Information About Candidates Who Are Running for Office?

To learn about the primary candidates who will be running for local, state and federal offices in Kansas in upcoming elections, check the Kansas State website here.

From the third-party organization Ballotpedia.org, you can also find information on candidates who will run in the upcoming Kansas elections, including the:

• President of the United States here
• U.S. Senate here
• U.S. House Representatives here
• State Senate here
• State House Representatives here
• State Supreme Court members here
• State Court of Appeals here

What Are the Government Office Positions That We Vote for During Elections?

Elections in Kansas are held to elect people into Federal, State, and Local offices.

Federal offices include the following:

• The President of the United States serves a four-year term, and the general election is held on the first Tuesday of November of election years. This elected official is the head of state and government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
• U.S. Senators serve six-year terms, and the elections for the two seats are in November of staggering years. These elected officials are a part of Congress, approve or reject treaties and confirm presidential appointments. The laws they work with affect the entire country.
• U.S. Representatives serve two-year terms, and general elections are held in November. These elected officials are also a part of Congress, approve or reject trade agreements and the confirmation of the Vice President.

State offices include the following:

• The State Governor serves a four-year term, and has elections in even years that are not presidential election years in November. This person is the state’s highest-ranking official and signs bills into law or can veto legislation.
• State executive offices are typically four-year terms, and include:

• • Lieutenant Governor – Second to the Governor
  • Secretary of State – Responsible for running the state’s elections, business licensing, and publication of official documentation
  • Attorney General – Oversees charges and cases against individuals on behalf of the state government
  • Treasurer – Maintains state funds and acts as the state bank
  • Controller – Pays the state’s bills and is responsible for the state’s accounting and financial reports
  • Superintendence of Public Instruction – Runs the state’s public school system (two-year term)
  • Insurance Director – Enforces regulations regarding businesses
  • Public Utilities Commission – Supervises electric, gas, water and telecommunications utilities for the state (six-year term)
• State Senators serve two-year terms, and have general elections for even years in November. These elected officials pass state laws that affect only residents of the state.
• State Representatives serve two-year terms, and have elections for even years in November. These officials handle legislation on a district level. They are often called congressmen and congresswomen.
• State Supreme Court members serve six-year terms, and have elections for even years in November. These officials are judges and make up the highest state judiciary court, which makes their ruling laws.
• State Court of Appeals justices serve six-year terms, and have elections in November. However, the chief judge only serves for two years. These nonpartisan (not affiliated with a political party) judges sit on the Kansas Court of Appeals and handle challenges and appeals to district court decisions.
• District Court judges serve four-year terms, and have elections in November. These nonpartisan judges make rulings on local trials, such as small claims, divorces, criminal proceedings and civil cases.

Local offices include the following:

• • Mayors serve four-year terms, and oversee city government.
  • City council members serve four-year terms, and help pass local laws.
  • Commissioners serve four-year terms, and govern a county and administer local taxes, property registration, building code enforcement, and public work services.
  • District court clerks serve four-year terms, and provide assistance to district judges.
  • Treasurers serve four-year terms, and maintain county funds.
  • Assessors serve four-year terms, and oversee local tax laws and collections.
  • Coroners serve four-year terms, and investigate local deaths to determine cause.
  • Highway district commissioners serve four-year terms, and supervise the highways and roadways within their jurisdiction.
  • Prosecutors serve four-year terms, and charges and cases against individuals on behalf of the local government.
  • Sheriffs serve four-year terms, and these officials are responsible for enforcing the law in the county.

• School board members serve six-year terms, and elections vary by county. Members of the group are responsible for making decisions related to local schools, such as spending priorities, curriculum approval, and setting the academic calendar.

Need More Help?

If you have further questions about absentee ballots or the voter registration process, contact your local County Election Office. Find your nearest office and contact information here.

You can also contact the Kansas Elections Division by phone at (785) 296-4561 or by email at election@ks.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the voting registration process and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the resources that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Voter Registration Guide is filled with helpful information about how to register to vote, eligibility and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.