Skip to content
55°
Topeka, KS
News
Weather
Sports
Latest Video
Livestream
Send It In
Job Fair
Students, community members plead for polling location at Fort Hays State
FILE - Fort Hays State University
FILE - Fort Hays State University(KWCH)
By Sarah Motter
Published: Nov. 2, 2023 at 9:27 AM CDT|Updated: 3 hours ago
HAYS, Kan. (WIBW) - Two college students and a nationwide voter rights organization have called on a Kansas county clerk to help add a polling location to the Fort Hays State University campus to increase voter turnout, however, that plea continues to be overlooked.

The ACLU says that for years, students and other voters at Fort Hays State University have advocated for a polling location to be placed on campus. This new location would be closer and easily accessible for those in the entire precinct.

Additionally, the ACLU noted that the polling location would be accessible for many elderly and low-income individuals on the south side of Hays - not just college students.

Despite voters’ repeated demands, the ACLU noted that Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling has not committed to opening a new polling location. Voters who live on or near the campus are required to head to another poll across town.

According to the organization, FHSU students Grace McCord and Madison Albers of the American Democracy Project have worked to research and build a case for support for a polling place on campus. The pair found that students failed in their voting duties and held the lowest level of voter engagement among Kansas universities. The lack of a polling location had a clear impact on voting rates.

The ACLU noted that the national average voting rate for college students is 66%. At the University of Kansas, students have their own voting location on campus and a voter turnout rate of 71%. By contrast, FHSU students voted at a significantly lower rate of 62.4% - below the national average.

McCord and Albers gained the support of Fort Hays State administrators, the university police department, the College Republicans, Young Democrats, Pi Sigma Alpha, the Student Government, the campus community collaborative and various residents around Hays. Multiple building proposals have been made to County Clerk Dreiling to address scheduling concerns and ensure ADA compliance.

The pair has also been joined by the majority of Kansans across the political spectrum who support simple fixes to improve access for voters.

Instead, the ACLU claims Dreiling opted for a separate location as she recently claimed a lack of economic feasibility prevents a polling location on the Fort Hays campus. She pointed to low voter turnout numbers in the precinct, which came from the previous and less accessible polling location.

“I firmly believe if anyone, not just students, want to vote they would find a way to vote whether it is in their backyard, or across town,” Dreiling said in June.

However, the ACLU said Dreiling misses the point that lower voter engagement is a call to remove burdens and make voting more accessible and that condensing more voters to a single poll is one of the most effective ways to actually lower voter turnout.

The ACLU noted that polling locations on college campuses increase civic engagement for young people and make it easier to vote. The Fort Hays polling site would be especially accessible to the unique needs of the voters on campus and in the surrounding area. There are many simple but effective ways to ensure voters have access to the ballot of the poll in between working, caring for families, going to class and other responsibilities.

Under Kansas election law, the ACLU said local election officials have the ability to maximize opportunities to protect the right to vote and maximize turnout - and that is what the organization has asked of Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling.

13 NEWS has reached out to Dreiling for a statement.

Community members who would like to support the addition of a polling place to the Fort Hays campus can do so HERE.

Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved.

Most Read
FILE - Rossville High School
Investigation closed by Rossville administrators after students allegedly hit with bullwhip
Mariann Belair
Affidavit reveals meth involved in Topeka toddler’s shooting death
Michael Lester
One arrested in connection to fatal North Topeka collision now dubbed homicide
FILE
Federal regulators consider ban on chemical known to cause cancer
State leaders are urging Kansas school districts to conduct background checks on all school...
School districts urged to background check employees following recent report
Latest News
City crews work Thursday morning to repair a water-main break just north of S.W. 23rd Street...
SW Topeka road closes as crews repair substantial water main break
FILE
Overall tobacco usage down among high schoolers, up among middle schoolers
Midday in Kansas
Midday in Kansas
FILE
Kansas real estate mogul passes away at the age of 84
Lawrence Police Department - FILE
Lawrence residents asked to keep an eye out for armed robbery suspect
Weather
News
Sports
Morning Show
Contact Us
Community Calendar
WIBW
631 SW Commerce Pl.
Topeka, KS 66615
(785) 272-6397
Public Inspection File
[email protected] - (785) 272-6397
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
EEO Statement
FCC Applications
Advertising
Digital Advertising
Closed Captioning/Audio Description
At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. Click here to learn more about our approach to artificial intelligence.
A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2023 Gray Television, Inc.

Related Content

Press Release
Apr 16, 2024
Placeholder image
  • Voting Rights

Hundreds in Ellis County Sign Petition for Polling Location at FHSU

Local leaders in Hays, Kansas are set to hand-deliver a petition with hundreds of signatures calling on County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling to open a polling location on the Fort Hays State University campus. The group plans to bring the petition to the Ellis County Administrative Center on Tuesday.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights