A new law gives Kansas counties the legal option of letting voters cast ballots at any polling site within their county, but spotty internet service and aging voting equipment is expected to curtail its availability in many places, election officials say.
The legislation signed this week by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly aims to expand and improve voting opportunities in Kansas by giving local election officials the discretion to allow all registered voters on Election Day to cast their ballot at any polling place in their county, rather than only at an assigned polling site.
It is still unclear how many counties will take advantage of it, particularly some rural ones with remote voting sites or those counties that still rely primarily on paper ballots. Some counties also have older voting equipment that is not capable of producing different ballots with local races at all locations.
“That is why it was written to be voluntary, not mandatory, because not everybody has the technology to be able to do it,” said Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Tabitha Lehman.
(Read more: Politics & Government News |)