Mail ballot elections
What is a mail ballot election?
A mail ballot election is a special election conducted entirely by mail. Ballots are mailed to registered voters; ballots are marked by the voters and returned by mail to the Election Office. Ballots may also be returned in person at the Election Office during regular business hours. All ballots must be returned by 12:00 Noon on Election Day.
How Do I Get a Ballot?
If you reside in the jurisdiction calling for election and are actively registered to vote at least 30 days prior to Election Day, then you will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.
If you miss that deadline, but register to vote before the registration deadline (21 days before Election Day), you can apply to receive a ballot using the replacement mail ballot form. Ballots will not be mailed out after the Friday prior to Election Day.
Can I vote in person?
While ballots can be returned to the Election Office by personal delivery, you are not able to vote in person. No polling places are open for a mail ballot election, nor do we offer in-person advance voting.
How do I vote in this election?
Your ballot will include detailed instructions on completing the ballot and providing us with the necessary information to process your ballot and count your vote. Please follow the instructions carefully to ensure that your ballot is counted.
The most important things to remember are:
- Your envelope must contain your signature and address.
- Your ballot must be received in the Election Office by noon on Election Day.
- Return postage is paid.
How do I return my ballot?
You must return your ballot in the return envelope that we include with your ballot. This special envelope has the affidavits and signatures required by state law.
You may choose to return your ballot by mailing it to us using the provided return envelope. If you are returning your ballot close to Election Day, please remember that it must reach our office by noon on Election Day. State law prohibits late ballots from being counted.
You may also choose to deliver your ballot to our office during normal business hours. Please note that your ballot must still be sealed inside the provided return envelope.
What is the Deadline for Returning Ballots to the Election Office?
All ballots cast in a mail ballot election must be returned to the Wyandotte County Election Office on or before 12:00 Noon on Election Day.
Privacy protection and the secret ballot
The privacy and secrecy of your vote is maintained by careful and deliberate procedure when returned mail ballot envelopes are opened. All envelopes are opened by a special election board. When the envelopes are opened, the ballot is removed and placed face down in one pile to prevent anyone from seeing how the ballot is voted. The empty envelope is placed in a separate pile.
Once the ballot is separated from the envelope, putting a ballot back with an envelope is prohibited. Empty envelopes are stacked so that the voter name, signature, and address are not visible. They are later bundled and stored according to the state's retention schedule for such items.
Ballots are inserted into an optical scan ballot reader, which counts the vote. After being counted by the optical scan machine, ballots are sealed for storage.
Mail Ballot Election Results
Unofficial results are posted at the Election Results link on the Election Office website as soon as results are available on Election Day. Final official results will be posted to the website after the Board of Canvassers meets to consider provisional ballots and certify the election.