KANSAS CITY, Kan. — According to the Wyandotte County Election Office, this year's general election could set a new voter turnout record.
The previous record came during the 2008 presidential election, when 65% of registered voters came out to cast their ballots.
"There are 80,000 registered voters in Wyandotte County and already, 25,000 persons have voted either by mail and/or in-person," said Elizabeth Ann Sanders, chairperson for KCK Souls to the Polls. The organization, based in Wyandotte County, had two voter registration car caravan events in July and October, leading up to Election Day.
County election leaders say there are five drop-box locations and three advance voting sites for voters to cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday.
Sanders emphasized that her organization also is reminding voters about a new element to the general election in Kansas this year.
"One can track their ballot. Once you release your ballot and there's been a lot of noise around, will it count?" Sanders said. "There's a means of tracking your ballot by going to the secretary of state's website, and you can actually track your ballot as it goes through the process."
That resource from the Kansas secretary of state's office can be found here.
Kansas is one of 45 states, along with the District of Columbia, that has a ballot tracking system available to voters in 2020. Missouri is one of five states that does not have a ballot tracking system, along with Connecticut, Illinois, Mississippi and Texas.
As for voting in-person on Nov. 3, Sanders has a clear message for voters.
"This is your American right," she said. "Please exercise it, because truly, it's been said the road to change lies at that ballot box so we want everyone to come out."