Primary candidates push for votes despite turnout predictions

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August 02, 2012|By Pilar Pedraza & John Boyd | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan.) — Candidates in Sedgwick County are working overtime these last few days before the primary election. The goal is to get as many people to the polls as possible.

This year several races in Sedgwick County will be decided in the primary on Tuesday, August 7, because there is no opponent in the general election.

Not all registered voters are eligible to vote this time. The primary is open only to Kansans who have affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, or no political party when registering to vote.

Because of delayed redistricting at the state level, you may not be in the same district you were before. It happened to one voter during advance voting in Sedgwick County Thursday. He was given an incorrect ballot. The Sedgwick County Election Commissioner says this could be because of redrawn boundaries.

Call your local election office if you have any questions or click on the link below.

Click here to find your polling place

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach predicts 18% of all registered voters will participate in next Tuesday's primary election.

“Of the 1,719,469 Kansans who are registered to vote,” said Kobach in a press release, “I expect approximately 310,000 will cast a ballot in Tuesday’s primary election. Around 45,000 advanced ballots have already been received.”

Voters affiliated with one of the three minor parties recognized in our state (Americans Elect, Libertarian and Reform) do not participate in primary candidate elections. About 0.6% of all registered voters are affiliated with a minor party.

Unaffiliated registered voters may vote a Republican ballot on election day by filling out a registration form at the polling place to affiliate with the Republican Party. Unaffiliated registered voters may vote a Democratic ballot on election day merely by requesting one. They do not have to affiliate with the Democratic Party first.

Number of voters affiliated with each recognized political party at the close of voter registration, July 17:

20 Americans Elect
437,149 Democratic
10,470 Libertarian
1,038 Reform
762,274 Republican

Voters who registered as not affiliated with any party number 508,518

Secretary Kobach urges voters to remember to bring their photo IDs to the polls. For a list of acceptable forms of photographic identification visit www.gotVoterID.com.

Primary campaign enters final weekend.

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