Month: October 2018

Early voting begins Tuesday in Wyandotte County

Early voting in person starts at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Wyandotte County Election Office, 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, according to Election Commissioner Bruce Newby.

While Election Day isn’t until Tuesday, Nov. 6, early voting in person and advance voting by mail provide other options for voters.

Early voting in person

There are three locations for early voting in person:

Early voting at the Election Office, 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas:
Tuesday, Oct. 23, to Friday, Oct. 26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 29, to Friday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to noon (election office only)

Early voting at the Community Room, 2100 Metropolitan Ave., Kansas City, Kansas:
Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 29, to Friday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Early voting at Eisenhower Recreation Center, 2901 N. 72nd St., Kansas City, Kansas:
Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 29, to Friday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those voting early should bring their driver’s license or approved ID.

Advance voting by mail

Advance voting by mail started Wednesday, Oct. 17.

More than 7,200 ballots were mailed, according to Election Commissioner Newby. By the end of the week the number of ballots mailed had increased to more than 8,600.

The deadline to apply for an advance ballot by mail is Tuesday, Oct. 30. The early voting application is available on the Election Office website, under Quick Links, www.wycovotes.org.

Voting on Election Day

On Election Day, Nov. 6, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should vote at their assigned polling places, and bring their driver’s license or other approved ID. Only registered voters may vote.

To view the ballot

To view your ballot, go to www.wycovotes.org and click on the Quick Link “What’s on my ballot?” on the bottom right. The link takes you to the VoterView webpage. Enter your county name, your first and last name, and your date of birth. Click search. This brings up your voter information. At Sample Ballots click on the link provided for your precinct ballot (such as KC10-10) and view your ballot.

– Information from Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby

Braun appointed to State Senate, 5th District

Kevin Braun

Kevin Braun has been appointed to the Kansas Senate, 5th District, seat.

Braun is a conservative Republican who lives in the Piper area of Kansas City, Kansas. The 5th District position opened recently with the resignation of State Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, a Republican from Leavenworth.

A convention of Republican precinct committeemen and women from the 5th District was held on Thursday, Oct. 18, in Leavenworth, and Braun was elected to fill the Senate seat. The appointment then was made by Gov. Jeff Colyer.

The 5th District includes the Piper area, as well as Bonner Springs, parts of western Kansas City, Kansas, Lansing and Leavenworth.

When a state senator or representative retires in mid-term, the precinct committeemen and women of the district, of the same party as the officeholder, choose the successor, Braun said.

The office next will be up for election in 2020, and “I intend to run,” Braun said.

Braun said fiscal responsibility is a key issue for him.

“The reason I’m choosing to serve, I’m retired from 32 years of the Army Reserve and military service, and am looking for a way to extend my service,” Braun said. “It’s how I have lived my adult life.”

Braun, 50, said he will be taking a leave from his commercial operations role in the pharmaceutical industry in the private sector in order to serve in the Senate.

He retired from the Army Reserve on Aug. 1, 2018, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, after 32 years of service. Braun is a member of the VFW, American Legion and Knights of Columbus.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in business law.

Braun said he would have supported whoever won the Republican primary for governor this year.

Braun previously ran for the 36th District, state representative position in 2016, and for the Board of Public Utilities, at-large 1st District, in 2017. Braun came in third place in the BPU primary in a very close contest with the second-place candidate.

Sen. Fitzgerald had run this year in the primary for U.S. representative, 2nd District, which was won by Republican Steve Watkins, who faces Democrat Paul Davis and Libertarian Kelly Standley in the general election. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-2nd Dist., is not running for re-election.

Medicare open enrollment assistance event to be Oct. 23

A Medicare open enrollment assistance event sponsored by Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-3rd Dist., is planned for 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The event will provide help to seniors during the Medicare open enrollment period. Trained volunteers from the Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) program will be on hand at the event to provide one-on-one assistance to seniors who have questions, or who wish to make changes to their plans.

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period extends from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Medicare beneficiaries who wish to make changes or enroll for the first time need to bring their Medicare card, any current prescriptions (including dosage and frequency), and a list of preferred pharmacies.

The event is free and open to everyone. For more information, call Rep. Yoder’s office in Overland Park at 913-621-0832.