It’s Election Day! Here’s how to cast your ballot in Douglas County

All registered Kansas voters, including those who are registered as unaffiliated or Libertarian, may vote in the special Tuesday, Aug. 2 primary.

Here’s what you need to know to cast your ballot in Lawrence and Douglas County (and don’t forget to grab your sticker!).

When can I vote?

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. As long as you’re in line to vote by 7 p.m., you will be allowed to cast your ballot.

Keep an eye on this countdown to make sure you don’t run out of time:

Where do I go?

Registered Kansas voters can see sample ballots and find their assigned polling places by inputting their name and date of birth at this link on the Secretary of State’s website.

What am I voting on?

See everything that’s on the primary ballot at this link.

For Douglas County voters, here’s our key coverage of the top 3 issues to know about:

Some inaccurate information about the constitutional amendment on the ballot started hitting voters’ phones via text messages Monday. Check this post to make sure you don’t get duped. As of late Monday night, we’re still not sure exactly who’s behind the lies.

The bottom line is that a “no” vote to the amendment will maintain the status quo of highly regulated, but legal, abortion in Kansas. If the amendment passes (a “yes” vote), it would give politicians the power to ban abortion, and voters would have little to no recourse.

What do I need?

Voters should bring state-issued IDs (such as driver’s licenses) to their assigned polling places to vote in person.

How can I get there?

All fixed-route and paratransit buses will be fare-free to help encourage voters get to the polls, as the city has done for the past several elections. Visit Lawrence Transit’s website for more information.

In addition, Rebecca Jeanne, of Lawrence, started a voting transport initiative to help connect people who need rides to willing drivers. Jeanne originally formed an event on Facebook thinking she would need a ride in order to vote herself. 

“I didn’t have a vehicle and I figured I wasn’t the only one in that boat,” Jeanne said. “Now I do have a vehicle so I will be available all day to give rides.”

Jeanne can seat up to six people at a time, and she will be giving rides by appointment until the polls close. Louise Pennewell is also volunteering to drive voters to the polls from 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. If you need a ride to vote, you can comment a ride request on the discussion tab of the LFK Voting Transport event page.

How will I find out the results?

Keep an eye on The Lawrence Times. We’ll have reporters out in the field, plus live-updated results on our site.

What if I have an advance (mail) ballot to turn in?

If you received an advance ballot to vote by mail, your ballot must be postmarked today if you’re mailing it back in order to be counted. In Douglas County, no stamp is required to mail your ballot back.

Advance ballots can also be dropped in dropboxes that are located outside the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.; at the county elections office at 23rd and Louisiana; at Eudora, Lecompton and Baldwin city halls; at the Golf Course Superintendents Building or at Flory Meeting Hall.

Ballots may also be dropped at any Douglas County polling place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. today.

What if I run into trouble at the polls?

If you have problems voting or have additional questions, visit this link or call the ACLU’s national, nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline:

• English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
• Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682)
• Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US (1-844-925-5287)
• Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683

Other questions?

More Douglas County voting information — including ways to look up your polling place or help someone else find theirs — is available at this link.

Voters statewide can look up their polling place assignments, sample ballots and more at this link.

More coverage: August 2 Election

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