More than 650 Allen Countians have cast ballots in advance of Tuesday’s general election, in which Kansans will select their next governor, U.S. senator and a host of other state offices.
“People seem to be getting used to voting early,” noted Charmanne Sayles, one of three workers who man the advance polling site in the Allen County Courthouse basement. “I don’t think it resonated well at first, but people are showing up early now.”
The pace is consistent with the Aug. 2 primary, which drew added interest and participation because of the abortion rights amendment, fellow poll worker Tom Sayles added.
“There may be stretches of 20 or 30 minutes without anybody, but then we’ll get four or five in a row,” Tom Sayles said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 459 have cast ballots in the courthouse basement, with the pace quickening as Election Day nears. About 70 voted on Monday; another 54 did so Tuesday.
Those wishing to vote in the courthouse can do so from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Monday.
Meanwhile, another 196 voters have submitted their ballots via mail, out of 437 who requested mail-in ballots, Allen County Clerk Shannon Patterson reported.
Those who mail in their ballots must have the ballots marked by Election Day, Nov. 8, and must be in Patterson’s office by Monday, Nov. 14.
“Typically, those ballots are due by that Friday (Nov. 11), but since it’s a holiday, they pushed back the deadline,” Patterson said.
Votes will be canvassed and certified by Allen County commissioners on Nov. 15.
Patterson confirmed Sayles’ suspicions that more voters are consistently casting votes earlier than Election Day, noting the opportunity to do so without having to wait in lines at their designated polling places.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day at four sites in Allen County: Iola voters, as well as those in Carlyle, Geneva and North Iola and South Iola townships, will go to John Silas Bass North Community Building, 505 N. Buckeye St. Voters in Humboldt, as well as Cottage Grove, Humboldt, Logan and Salem townships will go to Humboldt Methodist Church, 806 N. Ninth St. Voters in Deer Creek, East Elm, and West Elm townships — which encompass Gas, LaHarpe and surrounding areas — will go to the Gas Community Center, 624 W. Pine St.. Voters in (Marmaton, Osage, North Elsmore and South Elsmore townships, which encompasses Moran, will vote at the Moran Senior/Community Center, 407 N. Cedar St.
