Wichita Voter Registration Guide

The first thing you should know is this: you can register online. Isn't modern technology great?  To do so, you must have a valid Kansas driver's license or non-driver's identification card. If you do not have either of these documents, you may register to vote using the  paper form.

Step 1: Check Your Registration Status

If you’re not sure if you are registered to vote or not, you can check you status here. It’s super easy, and it only takes a few minutes. If you aren’t registered to vote, don’t worry. You’ve still got time, and we’ll walk you through the whole process.

If you’ve changed your name, address, or party affiliation since the last time you voted, you’ll need to re-register with updated information. If you are already registered, congratulations. You’re on the ball and you’ve saved yourself some time. Go buy yourself a treat, you good American citizen, you!

Note: This link will also provide your polling location information, so you don’t have to worry about where to go!

If you’re registering to vote for the first time, you’re going to have to provide documentation that confirms your citizenship. The Secretary of State’s office asks that you do not submit a Kansas driver's license or non-driver's identification card, as neither proves citizenship at this time. If you’re immediate reaction was an exclamation of “Oh crap!” or something similar, it’s okay. Here are 13 other, perfectly acceptable documents you can bring instead, according to the Kansas Secretary of State's office.

• Birth certificate verifying U.S. birth
• United States passport or pertinent pages of the applicant's valid or expired United States passport identifying the applicant and the applicant's passport number
• United States naturalization documents or the number of the certificate of naturalization
• Other documents or methods of proof of United States citizenship issued by the federal government pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
• Bureau of Indian Affairs card number, tribal treaty card number or tribal enrollment number
• Consular report of birth abroad of a citizen of the United States
• Certificate of citizenship issued by the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Certification of report of birth issued by the United States Department of State
• American Indian card, with KIC classification, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security (Note: This document applies only to a small Texas band of the Kickapoo tribe with slightly more than 50 members.)
• Final adoption decree showing the applicant's name and United States birthplace
• United States military record of service showing applicant's place of birth in the United States
• Extract from a United States hospital record of birth created at the time of the applicant's birth indicating the applicant's place of birth in the United States
• Only if the agency indicates on the applicant's driver's license or nondriver's identification card that the person has provided satisfactory proof of United States citizenship, then a driver's license or nondriver's identification card issued by the Kansas Division of Vehicles or the equivalent governmental agency of another state within the United States.

If you are unable to present your documentation at the time of registration, you can submit your document of choice later, either by mailing or delivering the document to the county election office by the close of business on the day before the election, or submitting it electronically by midnight the day before the election. Electronic submissions include fax, email, and other electronic means that have been approved by the Secretary of State.

An upload feature at the end of the registration will allow you to upload a PDF copy of your document, and submissions may not exceed 4MB in file size.

These options should give you plenty of time to turn your whole house upside down looking for the documents you need, because those are the kind of documents you put “somewhere safe,” which also usually means “someplace you’ll never remember.” We've all been there.

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the part that matters: The actual registration process. Here, you’ll be asked to enter your personal information, review what you’ve entered, and submit your information.

Step 4: Wait

Allow time for processing. Your county election officer will notify you that your voter registration was completed successfully or that further action is needed. 

Additional options:

1. Early Voting
If you would like to beat the crowds, you can vote early by visiting an Early Vote Center near you. Here, you will be able to vote  either on a voting machine or by paper ballot.

In-person early voting begins  13 days before the election, and will continue during regular office hours until Noon on the Monday before Election Day. Additional Early Vote centers are open Thursday – Saturday the week before Election Day for all elections except November General Elections when they are open Tuesday – Saturday the week before Election Day, according to the Kansas Secretary of State's office. 

2. Advance Voting By Mail
In order to vote by mail, registrants must complete this application and submit it either by mail or by fax it to the Election Office.

If you're wondering when the next election is, check out this local election calendar. 

Once you've completed these steps, you're well on your way to a shiny new "I Voted" sticker!