Kansas

Kansas is in both the Central and Mountain Time Zones. Polls in the Central Time Zone must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Polls in the Mountain Time Zone must be open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Counties are allowed to set different hours for the opening and closing of polling places so long as the polls are open for at least 12 continuous hours. 

Central Time Zone county polls may not open earlier than 6:00 a.m., close earlier than 7:00 p.m., or close later than 8:00 p.m.  

Mountain Time Zone county polls may not open earlier than 5:00 a.m., close earlier than 6:00 p.m., or close later than 7:00 p.m.

Contact your County Election Office to confirm exact open and close hours

• Polling Place: LookUp Tool
• On Election Day voters must go to their assigned polling place. 
• dDuring the Advance Voting period, voters may vote in person at county election offices and satellite voting locations beginning 20 days before an election. Voters should contact their county election offices to confirm advance voting dates and locations. County Election Offices 

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Kansas if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of Kansas
• at 17 years of age provided you will be 18 by the next general election.

You must have registered at least 20 days before an election to be eligible to vote.

You are NOT eligible to vote in Kansas if:

• You are currently serving a sentence including incarceration, parole, probation, or extended supervision for a felony conviction
• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you have been pardoned, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote

You may preregister to vote in Kansas

• If you will be 18 years old by Election Day

How to register 

• Kansas Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election
  • Submit a Printed Application: Postmarked by Tue Oct 13, 2026
  • At DMV and other State Agencies by Tue Oct 13, 2026
  • Discharged from federal service -In-person Request by Mon Nov 2, 2026 12:00PM

Persons can register

• On line with the Kansas SOS if they have a KS driver’s license or Kansas non-driver’s ID 
• On this state paper form if they do not have those IDs
  • Voters may also use the federal voter registration form without those IDs through other online websites or on paper

• The only residency requirement is to be a resident of Kansas at the time of registration (at least 21 days before the election).

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• By Email

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Kansas Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election

Ballot Request:

• Tue Oct 27, 2026

Ballot Return:

• In-Person, Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026 12:00PM
• Post Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026

All registered voters are eligible to vote early (by “advance voting ballot”) in person or by mail.  

Advance Voting by Mail 

Voters must apply for an advance ballot, they are not sent automatically. However, voters with a permanent physical disability or illness or who have been diagnosed as having a permanent illness can apply for permanent advance voting status using this form. 

When applying for an advance ballot, voters must include their driver’s license or state ID number OR a copy of acceptable photo identification. (see list of IDs below) Mail Ballot Application 

Ballots will be mailed to those who have applied beginning 20 days prior to the election. Advance vote by mail ballots may be mailed, or dropped off at drop boxes and at voting locations. Find county drop box information by contacting the county election office for the most up to date information. 

The deadline for mail ballots to be received by county election offices is in dispute. Voters should mail ballots in time for them to be received by the election offices by the close of voting on election day.

• New law for 2026 required all mail ballots to be received on or before election day. On July 16,2026, a court paused that change, and allowed mail ballots to be counted if received within three days of election day. The Secretary of State has appealed the ruling.

In-person advance voting is available for 7 days before the election in all counties. Some counties provide additional time, up to 20 days, for advance voting. Because dates and times vary, voters should contact their county election office to confirm advance voting dates and locations for their county. 

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Kansas you should provide one of the following:

• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
• Your Kansas Driver’s License Number

If you do not have one of these forms of ID and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.

Voting In-Person

In Kansas, you need to show a valid ID to vote. You can use any ID from this list:

• Valid Kansas Driver’s License
• Valid Kansas Non-driver’s ID
• Valid US Passport
• Valid Military ID
• Valid Tribal ID
• Valid Government Employee ID
• Valid Student ID from State School
• License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
• Public Assistance ID

An expiration date does not need to be shown on the photo ID. However, if there is an expiration date on the ID, it must not be expired. ID is also required for Advance Voting in Person which is available up to 20 days before an election. If an advance voter does not provide identification, the county election officer may issue a provisional ballot to the voter. The provisional ballot will not be considered valid until the voter submits their photographic identification to before the county canvass. If you do not have one of the Kansas valid IDs and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.

Kansas voters must provide a valid form of photo identification to vote by mail. Acceptable IDs are the same as those for voting in person. 

EXCEPTIONS: (1) persons with a permanent physical disability that makes it impossible to travel to a county or state office to obtain a qualifying form of identification and who have qualified for permanent advance voting status; (2) members of active duty uniformed service, merchant marine, or their spouses or dependents, who are absent from the country on election day; and (3) voters whose religious beliefs prohibit photographic identification. Voters seeking religious exemption must submit a form to the county election official or Secretary of State before the election or at the polling place. (Forms in English and Spanish) 

  Dates

• If the photo ID has an expiration date on it, the ID must not have expired at the time of voting. 
• An acceptable photo ID does not have to have an expiration date on the document in order to be valid.
• Individuals 65 years of age or older may use expired photo IDs. 

Individuals who do not have an approved government-issued photo ID may apply for a free nondriver ID card with the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles. To qualify for a nondriver ID card, a person must (1) not possess any valid photo ID documents under Kansas law, (2) sign an affidavit, (3) be registered to vote in Kansas, and (4) have been born in Kansas. https://sos.ks.gov/elections/photo-id.html

Individuals who do not have an approved government-issued photo ID but do not qualify for a free nondriver ID card may apply for a state voter ID document. To qualify, a person must (1) not possess any valid photo ID documents under Kansas law, (2) lack any documents necessary to prove identity, (3) sign an affidavit, (4) be registered to vote in Kansas, and (5) have not been born in Kansas. https://sos.ks.gov/elections/election-faq.html#photo-id

A person who cannot provide a valid photo ID may cast a provisional ballot. To ensure that their ballot is counted, they must provide a valid form of identification in person or a copy by mail or electronic means to their county election offices before the meeting of the county board of canvassers. (Generally, the Monday after Election Day.)

Voters who move to a new address should update their registration information before the deadline (21 days before Election Day)  with the Office of the Secretary of State through mail (paper application), online (Re-registration), or with a motor vehicle driver’s license or nondriver identification card form used to change address.

A voter who moved within the same county may vote a provisional ballot at their old address after filling out a new voter registration.

A voter who moved less than 30 days before the election may vote a regular ballot in the precinct of their old residence after filling out a form stating the voter’s old and new addresses, the date of the move, and that the voter has not yet voted in the election.   

A person who moved to Kansas from another state must register to vote in Kansas before the deadline of 21 days before the election.

Federal Services Absentee Voting

Active duty military and family members and individuals living abroad may qualify for special procedures if they meet the criteria in the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Voters who qualify should apply for a ballot in the county election office where their residence is located. It is not necessary for qualifying individuals to be already registered to vote in the county in which they vote. The completed absentee ballot must be received by the county election officer before polls close on Election Day. 

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides a ballot application called the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Voters who file the application before a primary election will automatically receive a ballot for the general election that year.  Although there is no statutory deadline for applications to be submitted, they must be submitted with enough time to allow transmittal time to and from the voter.

If a voter is registered to vote in Kansas and requests an absentee ballot but does not receive the Kansas absentee ballot in enough time to meet the mail-in deadlines, a voter may submit the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot as back-up.

Individuals convicted of a misdemeanor are eligible to vote.

Individuals incarcerated, but not convicted of a felony, are eligible to vote.

Persons convicted of a state or federal felony lose voting rights until they complete the terms of the sentence. 

• The terms of the sentence are not completed until the probation or parole is finished. 
• Outstanding criminal fines, court costs, and restitution may make someone ineligible to vote. A person should verify with the applicable court if any amount owed prevents them from voting. 
• Generally, if the person has been officially discharged, and their court debt has been sent to civil collections, they are eligible to vote.  
• Registration under the Kansas Offender Registration Act is not considered part of a criminal sentence and does not disqualify a person from registering to vote.  

A person with a felony conviction who loses voting rights must re-register to vote after the sentence, including probation or parole, is completed. The person will not be required to submit proof of their final discharge when re-registering to vote. The registration application will contain an affidavit they must sign attesting that their rights have been restored.