Advanced voting in Kansas began Wednesday ahead of the Aug. 2 primary election.
Registered voters have until July 26 to obtain a ballot by mail. In-person voting is open at the county clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Riley County will also host an advanced voting opportunity July 30 inside the Riley County Office Building from 8 a.m. to noon.
Advanced voting officially wraps up statewide at noon Aug. 1.
After registration closed Tuesday, Riley County Clerk Rich Vargo confirmed to KMAN there were 38,382 registered voters in the county, a number likely to go up slightly following last minute registrations.
Pottawatomie County Clerk Dawn Henry said official registration numbers weren’t immediately available Wednesday due to last minute registrants still being input.
Local ballots include a pair of notable races in the upcoming primary.
In Pottawatomie County, incumbent Republican 1st District Commissioner Dee McKee, of Blue Township, is challenged by Republican Hans Tessman, of St. George.
Voters in Riley County are set to decide whether to allow 64th District Rep. Suzi Carlson, a Clay Center Republican, to continue in the legislature for two more years. Carlson, who was arrested for a DUI in Topeka in late January, is facing a primary challenge from former Riley County USD 378 Superintendent Brad Starnes and Clay Center farmer Lewis Bloom.
Perhaps the biggest item on the ballot, is a constitutional question surrounding the future of abortion rights. A no vote would make no changes to the constitution. A yes vote would affirm there is no constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion.
