The Wichita County Commissioners Court on Aug. 26 approved a list of combined precincts for the Nov. 5, 2025, constitutional amendment election, reducing the number of separate election-day polling locations the county will operate for that single election.

Robin Fincannon, the county’s elections administrator, explained that a recent change in state law permits precincts with fewer than 3,000 registered voters to be combined for the purpose of election-day locations provided the combined total does not exceed 5,000. Fincannon said the change (cited in the presentation as a statute enacted in the most recent legislative session) makes counties that participate in a countywide polling place program eligible to combine precincts for election-day staffing and equipment reasons.

Fincannon told the court the proposal would reduce the county’s election-day locations from 20 to 11 for this single election, leaving all 40 precincts intact for registration and reporting purposes. “This is just to help with election day locations, combining precincts for the purpose of avoiding unreasonable expenditures,” she said.

The administration proposed consolidations mapped by commissioner precinct so that no voter would need to drive more than about 25 miles to an election-day location; Fincannon said most affected voters would have substantially shorter drives. She also emphasized the change applies only to this election and that she will return to court to seek approval again for future elections. Early voting locations remain in place and, under separate state changes, some early-voting locations will be required to also serve as election-day sites in future elections.

Commissioners asked about communications to voters and signage; Fincannon said all affected polling places that will not be used on election day will be posted with directions to the nearest active polling site and guidance on voter options, and she recommended using the implementation as a pilot to assess impacts on turnout and logistics. After discussion, the court approved the list by a 5-0 vote.

The court noted the primary-election arrangements are controlled in part by party officials for partisan primaries; the county’s combining plan applies directly to the county-managed November constitutional amendment election.