KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With Election Day right around the corner, the deadline to request a mail-in ballot is fast approaching.
Voters who wish to vote by mail must submit the request by next Wednesday, Oct. 23.
“Now, military people have different rules, but for the normal person that votes, that's the hard deadline," said Shawn Kieffer, director of elections in Kansas City.
The Kansas Election Board is not anticipating a huge mail-in turnout for this year's general election, compared to 2020 when many voted via mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Kieffer said it's always an option.
“A lot of people who live out of town, they can't make it to the polls on Election Day," Kieffer said. "It could be for religious beliefs, they could actually work for the Election Board. There's several different reasons.”
To ensure your ballot counts, there are a few steps KCEB reminds voters to remember.
- Submit your request early: Applications for mail-in voting are due no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
- Notarize your ballot: You have to notarize your ballot prior to returning, with the exception of those who have a disability.
- Sign ballot envelope: The envelope that carries your ballot must be signed. This helps the election office confirm voter identification.
Kieffer said his biggest recommendation is knowing what's on the ballot.
“There's a lot of questions on this ballot, so the ballot is very long. It's 17 inches long, front and back," Kieffer said. "What we like to tell our voters to do is to go onto the website. They can bring up their exact ballot, they can actually print it off, they can even vote on it and bring that as like a study guide and just transfer their votes onto the actual ballot."
If you miss the deadline to apply for mail-in, you will have 12 days during the no-excuse voting.
You can find more information on KCEB's website.
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KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.