Voting laws in Kansas

From Ballotpedia

Note: Before taking any action, or if you have any questions, contact your state election agency. The following are an incomplete list of laws governing elections in the State of Kansas

Voting Qualifications Generally

Minimum age to vote- The application for registration shall include a statement by the applicant that he will have reached the age of eighteen (18) years before the next statewide general election. No person may vote at any election until he has reached the age of eighteen (18) years.^[1]

Voter Registration

Application for registration; notice of registration to former election official; permissible postal delivery address; public inspection; limitation. (a) Any person may apply in person, by mail, through a voter registration agency, or by other delivery to a county election officer to be registered. Such application shall be made on: (1) A form approved by the secretary of state, which shall be provided by a county election officer or chief state election official upon request in person, by telephone or in writing; or (2) the mail voter registration application prescribed by the federal election commission. Such application shall be signed by the applicant under penalty of perjury and shall contain the original signature of the applicant or the computerized, electronic or digitized transmitted signature of the applicant. A signature may be made by mark, initials, typewriter, print, stamp, symbol or any other manner if by placing the signature on the document the person intends the signature to be binding. A signature may be made by another person at the voter's direction if the signature reflects such voter's intention.^[2]

Third Party Registration Groups

Any person wishing to conduct a voter registration drive may obtain a supply of application forms and distribute them. Note, however, that voter registration agencies must transmit completed applications to the county election officer not later than five days after receiving them. A voter registration worker must also submit all voter registration applications you collect. The intentional failure to deliver a signed voter registration application as required by law is a felony. All applications sent via mail must be transmitted in envelopes to protect privacy^[3].

There is, however, a suggestion in the Kansas Election Standards that persons wanting to conduct a voter registration drive receive training from the county election officer or the Secretary of State’s office on issues like how to instruct applicants on completing the voter registration form and the requirements for returning completed forms to the respective county election offices.

Absentee and Advanced Voting

Advanced Voting

Any registered voter is eligible to vote by advance voting ballot on all offices and to vote by advance voting ballot on questions submitted on which such elector would otherwise be entitled to vote. The votes of such electors shall be cast and received and canvassed as provided in this act. ^[4]

When the names to appear on ballots are definitely known and not later than 20 days prior to any primary, general or question submitted election each county election officer shall cause to be prepared such number of advance voting ballots and ballot envelopes as in the election officer's judgment are necessary to carry out the requirements of this act. Except as otherwise provided in this section, such ballots shall contain the names and cities of residence of all persons who are candidates for all national, state, county, city, township and school offices, which names may be written, typewritten or printed. On the same line with each candidate's name shall be a square in the ordinary form, or parentheses in which the voter can place a cross or check mark. In the case of elections required by law to be conducted on a partisan basis, such ballot shall indicate the political party of each candidate. In all counties in which the same, or reproductions of the same, ballots which are presented to electors at the polls for voting on election day can be used for advance voting, the names of candidates for the offices of precinct committeeman and committeewoman shall be printed on the ballots. In counties in which ballots or reproductions of ballots presented to electors at the polls for voting on election day cannot be used for advance voting, the ballots may contain blank lines for writing in names of candidates for precinct committeemen and committeewomen together with the number of the precinct or name of the township of such candidate. On the same line with each blank line shall be a square in the ordinary form or parenthesis in which the voter can place the appropriate mark.^[5]

Absentee Voting

Military and Federal Service

Federal services absentee voting; who may vote. Every person in federal services who is eligible to register for and is qualified to vote at any general election under the laws of this state and who is absent from his place of residence in this state shall be entitled, as provided in this act, to vote by federal services absentee ballot at any primary or general election held in his election district or precinct, notwithstanding any provision of law relating to the registration of qualified voters.^[6]

(a) Every person who is qualified and eligible to vote by federal services absentee ballot under the provisions of this act may make application for such ballot to the county election officer of the county of such voter's residence or to the secretary of state. Such application shall be made by postcard application provided for and prescribed in the federal act or on a form to be prescribed by the secretary of state. Any such application shall be valid for any election at which such voter otherwise is entitled to vote between the date of the application through the next two regularly scheduled general elections for national or state office.

(b) If the voter is residing outside the United States or is a member of the United States armed forces or a spouse or dependent of a member of the armed forces and a qualified elector and cannot vote timely by mail, the voter may apply for registration and an absentee ballot by facsimile. The voter may also request that the county election officer transmit to such voter by facsimile a ballot, or a second ballot, as the case may be. The voter may then either mail or transmit by facsimile such voter's voted ballot, back to the county election officer. If the voter chooses to transmit the voted ballot to the county election officer by facsimile, the transmittal shall contain the following statement: "I understand that by faxing my voted ballot I am voluntarily waiving my right to a secret ballot." This statement shall be followed by the voter's signature and the date. Upon receipt of the transmittal, the county election officer shall place the voted ballot along with the signed statement and affidavit in an appropriately marked envelope and seal it. The county election officer and such officer's staff shall take the steps necessary to keep the voted ballots received by facsimile as confidential as practicable. [6] Kans Code § 25-1216</ref>

Election Day Activities

Becoming a Poll Worker

In order to be a poll worker in Kansas:

• You must be registered to vote in Kansas
• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You will be entitled to compensation
• Political affiliation required
• You must be a resident of the area in which you will vote
• You must complete required training
• Students who are at least 16 years old and meet all other elector qualifications may be selected to serve

To sign up, interested people should contact their local board of elections^[7].

Conduct in the polls

Disorderly election conduct is willfully: (a) Disturbing the peace in or about any voting place on election day; (b) leaving or attempting to leave a voting place in possession of any ballot, except as is specifically permitted by law; (c) approaching or remaining closer than three feet to any voting booth, voting machine or table being used by an election board except as admitted for the purpose of voting or by authority of the supervising judge; (d) interrupting, hindering or obstructing any person approaching any voting place for the purpose of voting (e) engaging in any of the following activities within 250 feet from the entrance of a polling place during the hours the polls are open on election day: (1) solicitation of contributions; or (2) conduct of advisory elections other than those specifically authorized by law, including the exercise of home rule power, to be conducted by a county election officer.^[8]

Unauthorized voting disclosure. Unauthorized voting disclosure is, while being charged with any election duty, intentionally: (a) Disclosing or exposing the contents of any ballot or the manner in which the ballot has been voted, except as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. (b)Endeavoring to induce any voter to show how the voter marks or has marked the voter's ballot. Unauthorized voting disclosure is a severity level 10, nonperson felony.^[9]

Further Reading

This article only highlights important parts of the Kansas Code. If the information you are looking for is not on this page, please look at the Kansas Code available online.

Notes

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