Tag: Election 2020

Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby said today that anyone who is using a mail ballot for the general election, Nov. 3, should try to return the ballot early by mail.

Thirty-eight percent of those who voted in the Aug. 4 primary election voted by mail ballots, Newby said.

There were a total of 23,781 votes cast, with 9,071 voting by mail, he said. There were 11,616 ballots requested.

He said the 38 percent of all votes cast, as well as the rate of return, were both “extraordinary.”

In the general election, Wyandotte County residents may again vote by mail, in person on Election Day, or in advance at three selected polling places on designated days.

Residents may be weighing their decisions on how to vote in the general election, given that disruptions in the postal service have been discussed recently at the national level. An announcement was made in the past day from the postal service that any action that could slow the election, such as decommissioning mail sorting machines would be halted.

Newby said mail ballots for the general election can either be mailed back or returned in person. If they are returned in person, they have to be brought on Election Day to the Election Office at 850 State or to a polling place by 7 p.m. Nov. 3, he said. If they are returned by mail, state law says the ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and must be received by the Election Office by Friday after the election, he said.

“The critical thing is making sure the post office puts the postmark on the ballot,” he said.

While the state law says ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Newby cautioned voters not to wait until the deadline. He said it was better to get their mail ballots early and vote early.

Typically, the Postal Service takes three to five days to deliver the mail here. So, those who vote by mail should not wait too long to ask for a ballot, and not wait too long to send it back, according to the election commissioner.

The application period for voting by mail for the general election began July 1, he said. Registered voters may apply now for the advance mail ballots, he said. The ballots will be mailed to voters closer to the election. The deadline for applying for a ballot is Oct. 27.

“If you wait ‘til Oct. 27 you run the risk of not getting a ballot,” Newby said. Plus, it’s virtually impossible to return it on time, unless you take it to the Election Office or polls in person, he added.

“People that wait until the deadline are taking the risk their vote won’t happen,” he said.

But, if voters do procrastinate and wait until the last minute, if they haven’t received a mail ballot by Friday before the election, they should consider voting early in person at one of the satellite sites, Newby said. The sites include the Election Office, Eisenhower Recreation Center and Amayo Argentine Recreation Center, open on some selected days before the election. The satellite centers are open on the Saturday before the election, and also, the Election Office is open for advance voting on Monday morning before the election.

Newby said a voter may vote in person even if the voter has been sent a ballot by mail. Their in-person vote will be a provisional ballot, he said. Each provisional vote is verified, and the Election Office will make sure the person has not already voted the mail ballot, he added.

In the primary election, the Election Office received four late ballots in the mail, he said. They arrived after the Friday deadline. The last one arrived on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The four ballots did not count.

The Election Office also had some ballots that were returned to them by the post office, for mail that was undeliverable or the person had moved, he said.

“We had four returned that were votes from deceased people,” Newby said. They didn’t count. “We don’t let dead people vote in Wyandotte County.”

The deadline to register to vote before the general election is Oct. 13. Party affiliation is not required for this election.

With the COVID-19 pandemic safety is a primary reason to consider voting by mail. In Wyandotte County, there are many people in the at-risk population and it is common sense to vote by mail so they’re not exposed to crowds on Election Day, he said.

Those who forget to mail it, can drop off the mail ballot at a polling place on Election Day, he added. That’s a risk, though, for people who filled out their ballot early, didn’t mail it and forgot to drop it off that day.

“If you vote by mail, get your ballot early, vote in the comfort of your home and return it in plenty of time to get it in,” he said.

For more information about the election, including voter registration information, visit the Election Office website at www.wycovotes.org, or call the office at 913-573-8500, or email [email protected].

Applications for an advance (mail-in) ballot are online at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56606b47e4b0b9403ad6ff96/t/5c703309e5e5f09473494200/1550856969456/AV1wc_Mail_2018.pdf.

To find out if you are registered to vote and your polling place, visit https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview.

As a controversy swirled this week about mail voting, some candidates and officeholders are speaking out on the issue.

Interest in mail voting is high among residents, as avoiding contact when necessary by voting through the mail is very much the “in” thing to do in this COVID-19 pandemic.

On Aug. 7, the Kansas secretary of state reported on social media that that 315,079 advance ballots had been mailed statewide for the primary, with nearly 83 percent returned. The mail ballots were fairly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans,

But a national controversy arose around the postal service and voting this past week, with reports that some large mail sorting machines were being removed, and that overtime for postal service workers was being cut back. Some saw it as a political move by the Trump administration to limit voting by mail in the general election.

‘A political pawn’

Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday afternoon said it was “very disturbing” that the U.S. Postal Service was being used as a political pawn.

“They need to be supported, and we need to do everything we can to make ensure that what’s been going on at the federal government ceases,” she said during a news conference Monday afternoon. “And that instead of unraveling the postal system, that we reinforce it, because at this time, we need them more than ever.”

“We will do everything we can to make sure Kansans have the opportunity to participate in voting and a part in the democracy during the November election,” she said.;

According to the governor, veterans who receive their medications by mail were not getting them for days or weeks because of slowdowns imposed in the postal service.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mail ballots have increased throughout the nation, including in cities where people usually vote in person. And as always, any reduction in services that affects mail ballots would strike at the elderly and the homebound, those in rural areas and those who do not have transportation to the polls.

Rep. Davids’ statement on postmaster’s suspending changes to Postal Service

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., sent out a statement about Postmaster General Louis DeJoy suspending changes to the Postal Service, following Davids’ calls for his firing:

“In the past week alone, I’ve heard hundreds of Kansans who are deeply concerned about the United States Postal Service. Seniors and veterans are experiencing delays in getting their prescription drugs, business owners are seeing mail disruptions impact their customers, and people have said they are no longer getting their mail at all on some days. Meanwhile, many are worried about whether their ballot will be counted if they vote by mail.

“These are the consequences of this Administration’s attempts to sabotage the Postal Service for their own political gain. It’s why I spoke out against the Postmaster General’s reckless policies, and why I believe he needs to be replaced with new, nonpartisan leadership. I’m glad that he has heard these calls and the millions of Americans who are rightfully outraged by his actions and is suspending changes to the Postal Service – but this alone is not enough. And it is not clear whether he will restore any of the mail sorting machines that have already been removed.

“I look forward to the House coming back into session this week to help protect the USPS from these attacks and ensure that it has the resources needed to help people send and receive mail during this pandemic. I’m also advocating for the House to use this time to pass a bipartisan coronavirus relief package that meets the scope of this ongoing health and economic crisis. Kansans are rightly demanding action on both fronts – and that’s what I’ll continue to push for.”

Last week, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., in a news release called for the firing of the postmaster general.

Rep. Davids cited the changes to U.S. Postal Service operations made recently that were predicted to cause serious problems and delays ahead of the general election in November, when more people than ever were expected to vote by mail. It was reported recently that overtime for postal service workers was cut back and also that some large mail sorting machines have been removed.

She cited a national story about the president’s remarks that mail voting leads to fraud. Democrats had called for more funding for the Postal Service, and last week, the president had said he had been opposed to the funding because of the election. On Monday, the president did a turnabout, saying he is encouraging everyone to speed up the mail.

“The Postal Service is critical to our economy, our seniors and veterans who count on lifesaving medications, our small businesses that need to ship their products, and even to our democracy,” Rep. Davids said in her news release. “It also employs nearly half a million Americans, many of them veterans like my mom, who have risked their lives during this health crisis to make sure people all over the country have the supplies they need. I will not stand by while this President and his cronies try to tear apart this constitutionally-mandated and extremely popular institution piece by piece in order to serve their political agenda. The American people have lost all faith in DeJoy’s ability to lead the Postal Service and he must be removed immediately. We need new, nonpartisan leadership so the Postal Service can continue to deliver for the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it.”Rep. Davids’ mother has worked for the Postal Service for nearly 20 years, according to her statement. Rep. Davids has supported funding for the postal service in each COVID-19 relief package.

This week, there have been reports that the postmaster general will be testifying before Congress next Monday.

Sen. Moran asks for meeting with postmaster general

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, on Tuesday called on the postmaster general to work with Congress to reform the U.S. Postal Service, put it on firmer financial footing and protect the integrity of the USPS. According to his letter, Sen. Moran had previously asked for a meeting in June, but was told that the postmaster general was not meeting with Congress at that time.

“Serving a rural state like Kansas, I understand well the crippling impact that losing the Postal Service would have on rural communities across the country,” Sen. Moran wrote in a letter to the postmaster general. “The Postal Service is navigating unchartered waters but it cannot fail its responsibilities… As leaders, we must take a big picture approach to the crisis playing out and discuss comprehensive reforms that will stabilize the institution. Many of the necessary reforms needed to secure the Postal Service require congressional action, rather than unilateral decisions made without the input of stakeholders and Congress.”

Sen. Moran requested a meeting with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in June and again this week urged DeJoy and USPS leadership to meet and engage with Congress on postal reform.

Adkins supports secure elections

Candidate Amanda Adkins, a Republican who is running for the 3rd District, U.S. House, released this statement through communications director Matthew Trail: “Amanda Adkins supports Kansas voters’ ability to securely cast their ballots via mail, if requested, or in person. We have faith that Kansas elections will continue to be efficiently administered in accordance with state and federal law.”

For information on mail-in ballots, and about in-person voting, visit the Wyandotte County election office at www.wycovotes.org or call 913-573-8500.

To view an NBC story about voting by mail in Kansas and Missouri, and other states, visit https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/plan-your-vote-state-by-state-guide-voting-by-mail-early-in-person-voting-election/index.html?cid=sm_npd_ms_fb_lw&fbclid=IwAR3x0x72gOupMvauows3Bd1NN8ULiwdLp6rQvexm_5lRIiNt-ajYDKKpq9Y#kansas

‘It’s not over yet,’ Frownfelter says

Aaron Coleman, a 19-year-old candidate, has won the official vote for the Democratic nomination for state representative, 37th District, with a 14-vote margin.

The total was 823 to 809, after a voter canvass on Monday. Long-time incumbent Rep. Stan Frownfelter said he will run in November as a write-in candidate. “It’s not over yet,” he said in a telephone interview.

Coleman said in a telephone interview after the canvass that he will keep knocking on doors in Turner to talk to the voters, which he said is how he won the election.

“My plan is to just keep my head low and work hard these next few months to keep this seat blue,” he said.

Only Coleman would be listed on the ballot in November, but there could be three or more candidates for the 37th District in November. Republican leaders said before the primary election that they were planning to have a GOP write-in candidate, no matter who won the primary. They did not have a candidate by the June filing deadline.

And, Rep. Frownfelter said today, besides his write-in candidacy and the possible GOP write-in opponent, he had heard that there would be another progressive write-in candidate, as well. If the Republican write-in candidate goes forward with her campaign, it will be tougher, Rep. Frownfelter said today.

The story of Coleman’s candidacy has now gone international, and the Kansas governor has been quoted in other stories as saying he isn’t fit to be a state representative. Negative news recently came out about Coleman’s alleged actions as a 14-year-old, involving revenge porn. Coleman picked up support from one local party official who was in favor of other legislators mentoring him.

Earlier this year, Coleman had been criticized for his social media comments, including one comment about Herman Cain, a Republican who went to a large rally and who recently died. Democratic officials apologized for Coleman’s comments, distancing themselves from him.

Rep. Frownfelter said a lot of Democrats believe his opponent is a loose cannon, who reacts to things without thinking first.

Coleman said today that his response is pretty much what it has been through the past, that he is a changed person and is not like that now.

There have been people in the Democratic Party who have stepped up in the past to mentor him, he said, and some may be disappointed in him now.

“Hopefully we’ll get to a point where we’ve shown them I’m not the person that everybody thinks I am,” he said.

Coleman, who announced his campaign on April 20 (4-20 being a slang term for cannabis) said the main different between him and the other candidates is he is a progressive, and he supports a single-payer health care system and legalized cannabis.

“I have a consistent track record on my progressive beliefs,” he said. He said 80 percent of the voters support these health care improvements and legalizing cannabis. “I’m the only one consistent on these very popular issues, that’s what carried me to victory this spring. I think these popular issues will carry me to victory this fall.”

Rep. Frownfelter said those who voted in the Democratic primary were split down the middle, and there are another 57 percent who will have a say in the general election.

He said there are over 22,000 voters in the 37th District, and only about 1,600 of them voted in this contest. Democrats make up about 43 percent of the district, with about 19 percent Republicans, and the rest unaffiliated voters.

“The independents came up this time,” Rep. Frownfelter said. “They’ll be the swing vote in the general.”

Rep. Frownfelter said he felt he has served the community well in the past, and the community needs his experience now. He said he didn’t want Coleman to go to the Legislature and destroy what they have worked to accomplish.

“I think everybody underestimated me in the primary and is going to underestimate me again this fall, because I’m really passionate about knocking doors, and that is what you have to do, meet people where they are, and everybody’s at home,” Coleman said.

“The people of this district have spoken,” Coleman said. “They want a change in the Democratic Party.”

No election outcomes changed. The new county voter turnout total was 23,781.