KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Cass, Miami, Franklin and Douglas counties with an emphasis on Lawrence. Send Lily a news tip.
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This year’s primary election in Kansas is expected to produce half the voter turnout of the state’s previous primary in 2022, when abortion rights were on the ballot.
The abortion constitutional amendment drove an unexpected 47% of Kansas voters to the polls in August 2022; it was the first abortion referendum in the country following the Dobbs decision, when Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Based on advance voting, Kansas’ 2024 primary is expected to see a similar turnout to that of 2016, which was 24%, according to Secretary of State Scott Schwab. In a press release, Schwab said that's a low voter turnout.
“Everybody should vote every opportunity they get,” Patty Deliz, a Johnson County resident who voted at the Central Resource Library, said.
Voters on Tuesday said, those opportunities are important, whether it’s in national or local elections.
“This kind of feeds up to the national, and it just makes you feel like you’re a part of your community and you have a say in what’s going on,” said Kilmeny Connor, a Johnson County resident.
Johnson County resident Jonathan Epps said he’s been voting ever since he could.
“It’s my right to do it, I’ve been doing it since I was 18 years-old, and I’m certainly a lot older than that now,” Repps, who voted at Johnson County Community College, said.
Some think this year is more important than ever.
“Well, I think it’s the year to vote,” said Kansan Richard Anderson. “Things have changed quite a bit.”
For voters, it’s about having their voices heard.
“It’s very important to me as a woman to keep my rights intact and to have my voice heard,” said Chantal Roberts.
After slapping their honorary voter sticker on, voters say they feel good.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished something, that I’ve added to our world and our country and I think it’s really important,” Connor said.
Primary elections consistently produce lower voter turnouts compared to general elections, which is 91 days after this year’s primary on Nov. 5.
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