JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — The official countdown to the 2022 midterm election continues, with Johnson County, Kansas, being the latest county to open up polls for advanced voting.
Doors opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday and residents are able to come out every day leading up to the Nov. 8 election to cast their ballots ahead of time.
Johnson County, Kansas, Election Commissioner Fred Sherman said they're preparing for increase voter turnout after this year's midterm primaries.
"August primary elections are not as demanding for voting aspects of it, but it was a unique one this past August with the constitutional amendment question, but we are actually ahead of pace from the primary election on mail ballots," Sherman said.
The county is emphasizing that early voting can save you time. The ballot itself in the area is 19 inches long, which they estimate could take from five to seven minutes for each voter to fill out.
"We anticipate there could be some lines formed based off the length it may take for voters to review and vote their ballots, so we are encouraging voters to go online, pull up and review their sample ballot, do their election research at home," Sherman said.
If you are a registered voter in Kansas, you can go to the states' Secretary of State website, and type in your name and birthday to find your sample ballot. You can also find your polling place.
KSHB 41 News spoke with two early voters nearly one hour after polls first opened in the county. Some just wanted to beat the lines, while others are traveling and won't be here for the general election. All shared the same general sentiment.
"Everyone should come out and vote," early voter William Alsbrook said. "It’s what the citizens in the United States do."
Another voter said casting her ballot meant setting an example for those around her.
"I feel that voting early is important for me to set a precedent for telling my family, my friends," Susan Herrin said. "I can demonstrate that I’ve been here early and I voted."
Incumbent candidate for Kansas U.S. Representative Sharice Davids hosted a rally at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park Saturday morning with her supporters. They then marched as a group over to the Johnson County Library to vote together.
"I like to think of this as, this next couple of weeks, every day is election day," Davids said. "This is one of the ways that voting can be accessible for everybody. When you have kids, you have your job, it can be hard to get out on election day so this is just an opportunity to make sure people have their voices heard."
