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What are the requirements to vote in Kansas?

     Anyone who is a US citizen, 18 years or older, a resident of Kansas, and has completed the terms of any sentence from a felony conviction, is legally qualified to vote. (Voting rights are restored upon completion of the terms of a felony sentence, including all supervised release. Registration is not automatic - the ex-offender must act to register to vote. Unpaid criminal fines, restitution, or court costs may make you ineligible to vote. Verify with the court if any amounts owed prevent the restoration of your civil rights.)

     Per state law, the voter registration books close 21 days before an election until the election is completed. This means for 2026, all voter registrations must be completed by October 18th to be considered valid. Any registrations received in that period will not be processed until after the election. Always make sure to double check your voter registration before the deadline to ensure your voting eligibility for the election.

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What are the Photo ID requirements?

     State law requires voters to show photographic identification when casting a vote in person. If the photo ID has an expiration date on it, the ID must not have expired at the time of voting. An acceptable photo ID does not have to have an expiration date on the document in order to be valid. Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

• A driver’s license or nondriver’s identification card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the United States;

• A concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or a concealed carry of handgun or weapon license issued by another state or district of the United States;

• A United States passport;

• An employee badge or identification document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office;

• A military identification document issued by the United States;

• A student identification card issued by an accredited postsecondary institution of education in the state of Kansas;

• A public assistance identification card issued by a municipal, county, state or federal government office; and

• An identification card issued by an Indian tribe.

Exemptions exist for individuals 65 years of age or older who may use expired photo IDs or individuals whose religious beliefs prohibit photographic identification. Voters with religious objections may sign an affidavit before the election or at the poll on election day to be exempt.

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Registered voters who do not have an approved government-issued photo ID and would like one to vote may apply for a free nondriver identification card with the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles. To get a free photo ID, individual must fill out a Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card. This form is available at all driver’s licenses offices, all county election offices and online.

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How do I register to vote?

You can go to your county election office and fill out a paper form in person.

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If you have a valid Kansas ID, you can register online.

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How do I check my voter registration status?

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Check your voter registration status HERE

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When do I vote?

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Election dates can be found HERE

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How do I vote early?

     Individuals can vote early in person at the county election office or at a satellite location, and must show photo ID. If an advance voter does not provide identification, the county election officer will issue a provisional ballot to the voter. The provisional ballot will not be considered valid until the voter submits their photo ID before the county canvass. 

Apply for an Advanced Ballot

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What is the county canvass?

     The canvassing process includes counting ballots, tabulating votes by election district and certifying the results of all official primary and general elections and question submitted elections held pursuant to federal or state law. It is the process which produces official election results, whether it is the official number of valid votes cast for each candidate for each elected office, or the official number of valid Yes and No votes cast on an issue in a question submitted election.

     For local elections, there are always two canvasses: the original canvass and the final canvass. For national and state elections, there are always three canvasses: the original, intermediate and final canvass.

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How do I vote by mail?

    Voters may vote by mail prior to election day in the state of Kansas. To do so, you must complete an application for an advance ballot and include your driver’s license number or a copy of your photo identification. 

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     Under Kansas statute, the deadline to return your ballot is the close of the polls on Election Day. A district court in Douglas County entered a statewide injunction requiring ballots postmarked by election day to be counted if a ballot arrives by the last postal delivery on Friday after the election. The Kansas Court of Appeals rejected the Secretary of State’s appeal to stay the injunction. Regardless of the decision, voters are urged to return their ballots by the close of polls on Election Day. Doing so will ensure that their ballots will be counted.

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Military and overseas citizens: 

     Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows for overseas voting, or federal services voting, for active duty military and family members and individuals, living abroad. To qualify, voters must meet the criteria set out in the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Absentee voters who qualify under this act should apply for a ballot in the county election office in the Kansas County where their residence is located. It is not necessary for qualifying individuals to be registered to vote in the county which they vote (K.S.A. 25-1215).

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     The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides a ballot application HERE called the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Voters who file the application before a primary election will automatically receive a ballot for the general election that year (K.S.A. 25-1216(a)). Although there is no statutory deadline for applications to be submitted, they must be submitted with enough time to allow transmittal time to and from the voter.

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1. Submit a ballot application to the county election office that you consider your residence.

2. Complete your ballot. Starting 45 days prior to an election, ballots will be sent to all voters with an active federal post card application.

3. Return your ballot to the county election office by mail, fax, or email.

4. Verify your ballot was received and counted by contacting your county election office.

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How are mail in ballots verified?

     K.S.A. 25-1122(e)(1) requires county election offices compare the signature on the advance by mail ballot application with the signature on voter registration records to verify the voter, and not a third party, requested the advance by mail ballot. If the signatures do not match, the signature may be challenged, and the county election office will contact the voter to verify the signature.

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     Voters must provide the number of their photo identification (e,g., driver’s license) on the advance by mail ballot application. In the event identification information cannot be verified, K.S.A. 25-1122(c) states the applicant must provide a copy of an acceptable form of photographic identification.

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     When a voter has completed their advance by mail ballot, they must sign the outside of the ballot envelope. That signature is then reviewed with voter registration records. If the signatures do not match, the signature may be challenged, and the county election office will contact the voter to verify the signature.

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How do I know if I need a provisional ballot?

     Provisional voting provides individuals with the opportunity to vote even though questions exist on their eligibility. Kansas law encourages individuals to participate in an election by allowing any individual with an eligibility issue to cast a provisional ballot.

There are a number of instances where an individual may be provided with a provisional ballot. The most common include:

   -Failure to provide photographic identification

   -Address change

   -Name change

   -Already issued a ballot

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How do I find out where to vote?

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Find my voting location

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Where do I vote if I just moved?

     If you move to a new county in Kansas before the registration deadline, you must complete a new voter registration application. If you move after the registration deadline, you can still vote at the precinct assigned to your old address, but you will be required to complete a new voter registration application.

     If you moved from another state, you should register to vote in Kansas as soon as possible after moving. If 45 days before an election and the deadline to register has passed, you may vote a president-only ballot. To vote a president-only ballot, you must go to your local election office by noon on the day before the election and complete voter registration forms.

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