The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, but this report highlights the reality that the right to vote doesn’t look the same for all Kansans. Far too often, access to the polls is dependent on your zip code, the language you speak, your job, age, the number of advance voting locations available to you and what hours they’re open, and countless other factors outside of your control.

In recent years, Kansas has experienced an unprecedented number of attacks on voting rights at both at the state and federal level, exacerbating these barriers. There has never been a more important time for local election officials to step up and combat these attacks, and this report lays out the steps they can take to ensure inclusive, equitable elections that meet the needs of their communities.

In 2024, Kansas surpassed 2 million registered voters for the first time in history. The need for election infrastructure that meets this moment is essential to ensuring every eligible Kansan can cast their ballot with ease. Far too often, exercising the right to vote means navigating a range of logistical challenges that in many cases, can be relieved by actions on the local level.

One of the best predictors of low turnout across the state is the number of voters assigned to each polling place. This report found that, in 2024, counties assigned an average of 1,408 voters per poll—and every 1,000 additional voters was associated with a 1.3% decrease in turnout. More voters per poll means that voters may face longer lines, wait times, and further commutes that conflict with their busy lives. Increasing the number of accessible polling locations may be one of the easiest ways to increase accessibility and turnout.

This report also highlights language disparities in access to the ballot. Having a voice in our democracy requires that voters understand what they’re voting for, yet more than 168,000 Kansans speak a primary language other than English. Ballots language is often confusing even for those whose primary language is English, which makes filling out a ballot even more difficult for those who speak another language. Despite this, most Kansas counties offer no translated election materials at all. Additionally, this report found that in places with larger shares of language-minority voters, turnout was 12 points below the state turnout. While six counties are federally required to offer translated ballots, thousands of Kansans are still left out. Federal requirements should be the floor, not the ceiling.

Barriers to voting begin long before Election Day, and many Kansas voters do indeed take advantage of the more convenient options. In 2024, more than 52% of all votes were cast by mail or early in person. But legislative attacks continue to restrict access to clearly used and more convenient voting options—in 2025, the Kansas Legislature repealed the three-day mail processing window, effectively disenfranchising thousands of Kansans who relied on mail-in voting.

More than 137,000 ballots were cast by mail in 2024. Without the mail-processing window, many eligible Kansas voters are now at risk of their ballots not being counted in 2026 and beyond.

Alternatively, voters can choose to vote early in-person, but access to early voting opportunities often depends on where you live and your ability to vote in-person. We found a close link between more numerous advance voting locations, hours outside of traditional business hours, and higher voter turnout. For busy parents, people who rely on public transportation, older voters, voters with disabilities, and those working irregular hours, advance voting may be the only way their voice is included.

Early voting is popular. In 2024, around 41% of all ballots in the General Election were cast early in person, and many counties expanded early voting hours and locations to accommodate this growing demand. In other places, however, election officials continue to limit opportunities. As we prepare for critical elections in 2026, the Johnson County Election Office removed eight advance voting locations, many of which were located in predominantly low-income communities, areas densely populated by Black and Hispanic residents, and neighborhoods accessible by public transportation. Without access to these locations, voters could face transportation challenges, longer commutes, and overcrowding at the remaining sites and on Election Day.

But these barriers aren’t inevitable. Kansans want policies that make voting easier, not harder. Ultimately, this latest iteration of All Democracy is Local finds that it’s essential that local election officials use their authority to enact proactive policies that meet the needs of their communities and ensure every Kansan has equal access to the ballot. The ballot box remains the space we decide our collective values and hold one another accountable to those values—and it all starts at the local level.