Kansans planning to exercise their right to vote in the 2024 general election should keep in mind these important dates.

Register to vote

According to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office, the deadline to register to vote or update voter registration in order to participate in the 2024 general election is Tuesday, Oct. 15.

In Kansas, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, those who are 17 years old and will be 18 years old before the next election may apply to register to vote. Voter registration can be done by filing a paper document and returning it to your county of residence or through an online form. Voter registration in Kansas closes 21 days before an election.

For more information on voter registration, visit sos.ks.gov/elections/voter-registration.html.

Advance voting

In Kansas, Oct. 16 is the first day of advance voting, either in person at your county’s specific location or by mail-in ballot. The last day to apply for an advance voting mail-in ballot is Oct. 29, and in-person advance voting at your county election site closes at noon Nov. 4.

“Advance voting by mail has been allowed to all Kansas voters since 1996,” according to the Secretary of State’s Office website. “You do not need an excuse to advance [a] vote-by-mail ballot. However, you do need to apply to have an advanced-by-mail ballot mailed to you for each election, as they are not mandatory and are sent to voters by county election offices at the request of the voter.”

The application for an advance mail-in ballot is separate from the ballot itself. When applying, by law, Kansas requires a signature and the number of your photo identification, such as a driver’s license, to verify against voter registration records.

Once you receive your mail-in ballot, it’s important to sign the outside of the ballot’s return envelope before mailing it back to the county election office. This signature will be compared with those on the ballot application and the voter registration records. Unsigned ballot envelopes, or those with signatures that don’t match, may be challenged.

“All ballots must be postmarked on or before election day (Nov. 5) and received in the county election office by the close of business on the third business day (Nov. 8) following the election,” according to the Secretary of State’s Office website.

Kansas voters can track their mail-in ballot applications and their advance ballots online at myvoteinfo.voteks.org.

Election day

The general election is Nov. 5. Kansas state law requires polling places to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day, but it also allows polling locations to be open as early as 6 a.m. and close as late as 8 p.m. By law, they must be open at least 12 consecutive hours.

If you are in line to vote when the polls close, stay in line. All voters who are in line when polling locations close are allowed to vote, according to the Secretary of State’s Office website.

You can view sample ballots online starting 45 days before the election or request a sample ballot at your local election office or polling place. Visit myvoteinfo.voteks.org.

Expect to be asked to state your legal name, provide photographic identification, state your address and sign the poll book at the polling location before getting your ballot.

If you have questions about the process, visit votekansas.gov or call 800-262-VOTE (8683).