Election Office

Registration Requirements

To complete a voter registration application and vote in Kansas, you must meet the following constitutional qualifications:

1. Be a resident of Kansas

There is no length of residency requirement in Kansas, but a person must be registered 21 days before the election and must be a resident at the time of registration.

If you move from one county to another within the state, your name is removed from the voter list in the county of former residence and added to the voter list in the county of new residence, either by re-registering in the new county or by completing a driver’s license change of address form. If you move out of the state, your name is removed from the voter list in the county of your most recent registration. You may at any time file a written request with the county election officer to have your name removed from the voter list.

2. Be 18 years of age or older

If you are 17 years old but will be 18 before the next election, you may register to vote. This does not allow you to vote in the primary or at any other election before turning 18.

3. Be a U.S. citizen 

Note: Beginning January 1, 2013, individuals registering for the first time in Kansas are required to submit a document to prove their U.S. citizenship.

Methods of Voter Registration

Complete and sign the Kansas Voter Registration Application. There are three ways to submit your application:

• Mail or hand deliver application to the Lyon County Election Office, 430 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS  66801
• Fax the completed and signed application to (620) 341-3415
• Scan the completed and signed application then email to lyclerk@lyoncounty.org

Online Voter Registration

You can now electronically complete a voter registration form IF you currently hold a valid Kansas Drivers License . To register to vote online, please visit the following link:  https://www.kdor.org/voterregistration/Default.aspx

Registration Outposts

Applications are also available at many Registration Outposts near you.

• Emporia City Clerk, 104 E. 5th Avenue, Emporia
• Americus City Clerk, 604 Main Street, Americus
• Kansasland Bank, 702 Main Street, Americus
• Hartford State Bank, 208 Commercial Street, Hartford
• North Lyon County Library,  412 Main Street, Allen
• Olpe State Bank, 202 Westphalia, Olpe
• Citizens State Bank & Trust Co., 402 First Street, Reading
• Flint Hills Technical College, 3301 W. 18th, Emporia
• Hetlinger Developmental Center, 707 S. Commercial, Emporia
• Kansas Commission of Veterans Affairs, 702 Commercial, Emporia
• Kansas Division of Vehicles – Drivers License Examinations, 1640 Industrial Rd, Emporia
• Kansas SRS Office, 1701 Wheeler Street, Emporia
• Lyon County Health Department, WIC Office, 420 W. 15th Avenue, Emporia
• Emporia State University, Office of Disability Services & Non Traditional Student Programs, 12th and Commercial, Emporia
• Resource Center for Independent Living, 614 Merchant Street, Emporia

Am I registered to Vote?

To confirm that you are registered, search for your polling place and to see your sample ballot , go to Kansas Voter View and review the information

Voting in Advance – By Mail

To vote by mail you must download and print an Application for Advance Voting Ballot (AV1).  A separate application must be submitted for each election, except in the case of permanent illness or disability.

A person with a permanent illness or disability may complete an Application for Permanent Advance Application Status. The county election officer will automatically send the voter an advance ballot for every election they are eligible to vote in.

Please return it to our office:

In person or by mail:

Lyon County Clerk’s Office
c/o Election Office
430 Commercial
Emporia, KS  66801

    By Fax: 620-341-3415

By email:  lyclerk@lyoncounty.org

Your completed application must be received at the Election Office before 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the election. Submit your applications to avoid delays.

The Election Office will mail your ballot within 2 days of receiving your application. If you receive an application with an address other than the Election Office pre-printed on the mailing side of the application, it could delay or prevent delivery of your ballot.

Your voted ballot may be returned, in its sealed envelope with your signature and address, by mail or hand-delivered to the Election Office in the Lyon County Courthouse before 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. If the ballot envelope signature does not match the signature on your voter registration card that is filed at the Election office, your vote cannot be counted. Parents, spouses, Power of Attorney (POA) and/or candidates may not sign the ballot envelope for another voter.

Advance voting ballots will not be accepted at a polling place. If the ballot cannot be delivered to the Election Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day and is taken to your polling place, the advance ballot will be voided and a provisional ballot will be issued in its place.

Vote in Advance – In Person

Don’t forget your ID! Each voter must show photo identification before receiving a ballot.

In-person Advance voting, by law, can begin up to 20 days prior to each election. So, show up at the Lyon County Courthouse and vote, it’s that easy!

Voting on Election Day at your Polling Place

The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Prior to each election, click the Kansas VoterView to view your voter registration record, find your polling place and review your sample ballot.

The basic reasons some voters are required to vote a provisional ballot include:

• name not in poll book;
• name or address not correct in poll book;
• voter was sent an advance ballot by mail;
• voter has failed to provide the required photo identification;
• voter is listed in poll book as an Advanced Voter; or
• in primary elections, party affiliation different from that announced by the voter.

Provisional Ballot Responsibilities

It is your responsibility when voting a Provisional Ballot

• Receive a provisional ballot and complete the voter registration application and provide a photo ID (this can be expired if you are over the age of 65)
• Check the envelope and verify the reason for the challenge has been marked.
• Sign the envelope. (Note: At the time of counting, your ballot will be separated from the signed envelope in order to guarantee the confidentiality of your vote.)
• Receive the appropriate unmarked ballot from the Election Board.
• Take the envelope and the unmarked ballot to the voting booth and vote your ballot.
• Check over your ballot to make sure it is complete and correct.
• Place your voted ballot in the envelope provided. Seal the envelope to protect your privacy.
• Hand the envelope with your voted ballot sealed inside to the election board worker.

Your provisional ballot will be processed after election night to determine whether the Board of County Canvassers will accept or reject your ballot. You should be given a receipt containing an explanation of provisional voting and telephone number for finding out whether your ballot was accepted.

Who qualifies as a Federal Service Voter?

• If you are a member of the uniformed services or merchant marine on active duty, or an eligible spouse or dependent.
• A U.S. Citizen (18 years or older) residing outside the U.S.
• A U.S. Citizen overseas by virtue of employment.
• A U.S. Citizen accompanying spouse or adult dependent.

Register to Vote

Voter registration and absentee ballot request can be done at the same time, easily and automatically by using the FPCA wizard at FVAP.gov. If you are already registered to vote and only wish to request a ballot, you should submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) as soon as possible. You must specify on the FPCA whether you want to receive your ballot by mail, email, or by fax.

Your request form must be completed, signed, dated and returned to the Lyon County Clerk’s Office:

 In person or by mail:

Lyon County Clerk’s Office
c/o Election Office
430 Commercial
Emporia, KS  66801

By Fax: 620-341-3415

By email:  lyclerk@lyoncounty.org

Your application is valid for one calendar year. You are eligible to receive all ballots issued during the calendar year at the address you give on the FPCA. If you move or are re-assigned during any calendar year, please be sure to send a new  Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) so you can receive your ballots. Election mail cannot be forwarded.

Receiving your ballot

Federal Service ballots are mailed no later than 45 days prior to Election Day to all Federal Service voters with FPCA’s on file. If you have not received your ballot two weeks before the election, contact us at 620-341-3245 or lyclerk@lyoncounty.org.

Returing your ballot

You may return your ballot to the Lyon County Clerk’s Office by mail in the envelope provided, by fax or by email following the instructions enclosed with your ballot. Your ballot must be received by the Election Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.

To confirm that the Election Office received your ballot, contact us at 620-341-3245 or lyclerk@lyoncounty.org.

For complete details on Overseas and Military Voters, go to  www.FVAP.com.

 Qualifications:

• Must be a resident of Lyon County
• Must be a registered voter at current address
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to work at least 14 consecutive hours on Election Day
• Must attend the mandatory election worker training before every election

Election Worker Duties:

• Check in voters and obtain voter signatures in poll book
• Operate voting machines
• Issue ballots to eligible voters
• Provide voting instructions to voters
• Be present at the polls continuously from 6 a.m. to about 8 p.m.

To be considered as a member of an election board, you must print and complete the Election Worker Application.

BW application

Return completed application to the Lyon County Clerk’s Office:

 In person or by mail:

Lyon County Clerk’s Office
c/o Election Office
430 Commercial
Emporia, KS  66801

By Fax: 620-341-3415

By email:  lyclerk@lyoncounty.org

Potential election workers are invited to call us at 620-341-3245 or email us at lyclerk@lyoncounty.org.

Kansas Government

• Kansas Governor
• Kansas Secretary of State
• Kansas Statutes
• Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission
• Kansas Legislature
• Kansas VoterView

City Government

• City of Emporia

School Districts

• North Lyon County – USD #251
• South Lyon County – USD #252
• Emporia – USD #253

Other Links

• Kansas County Clerks & Election Officials
• Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
• The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
• ElectionLine