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Sedgwick County election office urges early voting, opens two satellite sites Oct. 21
Summary
Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater told commissioners that mail ballots were being sent, about 23,000 mail‑ballot requests had been processed, two satellite early‑voting sites open Oct. 21, and the county added 25 polling sites to reduce election‑day lines.
Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater told the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 16 that mail ballots for the upcoming election were being mailed and that early voting options were being expanded.
"Mail ballots will be sent out today," Rainwater said, and staff had processed approximately 23,000 requests for mail ballots. She said registration had closed the day before the meeting and encouraged voters to use early‑voting options, warning that long lines were likely on election day if voters waited.
Rainwater announced that, beginning Monday, Oct. 21, the Election Office would open two satellite locations — Reformation Lutheran Church on East 13th and the Sedgwick County Extension Office at 21st and Ridge Road — with hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and select Saturday hours. She also said the county had added 25 new polling sites this year and that a total of 107 election‑day polling sites would be available, up from 82 the previous year.
Rainwater noted that the deadline to request a mail ballot is Oct. 29 and said the county mailed a postcard to every household listing early‑voting locations. "We have added 25 new polling sites this year in an effort to reduce the number of registered voters at each site," she said.
Why it matters: The expanded early‑voting footprint and added polling places are intended to reduce wait times on election day, particularly given lower-than‑usual mail‑ballot takeup. Rainwater urged voters to check the secretary of state's voter lookup before election day to confirm their assigned polling site.
What's next: Satellite early‑voting operations begin Oct. 21; the other 17 satellite locations open Oct. 29 and will operate through early voting on Nov. 4.
