Did you know Kansas NEA members vote in higher numbers than the general public at large? In 2018, 80% of KNEA members voted versus 65% for the general public. Imagine what a difference educators could make in 2020 if 100% of us voted!
So…Have you voted yet?
Advance voting is going on now across Kansas. You can vote in person at designated locations in your county (check with your county election office to find out where or download the Secretary of State’s list at https://kssos.org/elections/voter-information.html). Advance voting must end by noon on November 2 but that ending date and time might be different for your county (check with your county election office to find out when). Some counties also have weekend hours for voting. In Douglas County, for example, voters can cast a ballot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, at seven different locations. Check with your county election office to find out if they have hours on Saturday.
Did you request a mail in ballot? If so, we hope you made the request early and have received your ballot. If you haven’t turned it in yet, you should probably not mail it now but instead drop it off in person. You can hand it in personally at any advance voting location or drop it in your county’s secure drop box. Again, some counties have multiple drop boxes, so check with your county election office to find out where the official drop boxes are located. Given problems that have been widely reported due to changes to the U.S. Postal Service and ongoing efforts to stop counting ballots that arrive after Election Day, we strongly urge you to ensure your ballot gets in on time by using the drop boxes or personally handing it in at an advance voting location.
Do you plan to vote in person on Nov. 3, Election Day? Some folks are just dedicated to Election Day voting – it’s a tradition! We get it. If you do, we suggest you verify your polling location. It is possible that due to the pandemic some polling places may have changed. They might have been moved out of schools or consolidated so that enough poll workers are available. Again, check with your county election office or put in your address on the Secretary of State’s polling place search tool (https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview/) to make sure you know where to go on Nov. 3.
KNEA has made it easy for you to find answers to your election questions by creating our own voting web portal, edvotesks.org. You can find a list of KNEA/KPAC recommended candidates and read our KSEDTalk Election Edition on this website. There is also a link on this website to check your voter status. From that link, you will be able to find your polling place and track your advance ballot if you voted in advance. You can find most advance voting locations and times by visiting https://kssos.org/elections/voter-information.html. There you will find a link to a downloadable spreadsheet from the Secretary of State’s office with advance voting information. Be aware that most, but not all, counties have information on this spreadsheet. If your county is not listed, you will have to contact the county election office for information.
We are sure we don’t have to tell you how big a deal the 2020 election is! You are probably overloaded from the news coverage and the campaign battles now raging. We are just a few days away from the end of the campaign. Let’s keep engaged and see if KNEA members voting can’t hit that 100% number. In 2020, educators can make a world of difference for the future of our state and nation. LET’S ALL VOTE!
