<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603291082573.png" alt="Votes lined up in cars on Monday to deliver mail ballots at a Shawnee County drop box in Topeka. As voters become skittish about the status of their mail ballot, some are voting in-person via provisional ballot. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Votes lined up in cars on Monday to deliver mail ballots at a Shawnee County drop box in Topeka. As voters become skittish about the status of their mail ballot, some are voting in-person via provisional ballot. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/20/kansas-election-offices-dealing-with-influx-of-provisional-ballots-from-early-voters/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas election
 officials and activists are concerned with the high number of people 
who requested mail ballots showing up at polling places to cast 
in-person ballots instead.These voters are directed 
to fill out a provisional ballot, which complicates the process for 
election workers who are already overwhelmed with <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/05/kansans-have-already-requested-twice-as-many-mail-in-ballots-as-past-elections/">unprecedented early turnout</a>
 and social distancing constraints as a result of the pandemic. The 
provisional ballot will be counted a week after the election, when local
 officials verify the individual hasn’t voted twice, but won’t be 
included in election night results.Counties across Kansas, 
and especially Johnson County, are seeing an uptick in the number of 
provisional ballots cast. Lines for in-person voting also appear longer 
than usual.So far, counties have 
mailed more than 483,000 ballots to voters who requested them. About 
46,000 of those mailed ballots have been returned, and an additional 
30,000 Kansans have shown up to vote in person.Johnson
 County opened 10 early voting locations Saturday and processed 7,562 
votes, of which 1,011 were provisional. Another 739 provisional ballots 
were cast on the second day of early voting in the county.Connie
 Schmidt, the Johnson County election commissioner, said almost all the 
provisional ballots were cast by those who had previously requested a 
mail ballot.“Be
 patient. Many were receiving their ballots on Saturday, and they were 
voting in-person Saturday morning,” Schmidt said. “If you haven’t 
received your ballot by Wednesday, then you should call us.”Schmidt
 said about 30,000 voters have returned mail ballots already. The county
 has eight drop boxes for those who don’t want to put their ballot in 
the mail.For
 those who have requested a mail ballot, filling it out and dropping it 
off rather than showing up to vote in person speeds up the process of 
certifying election results, said Leslie Mark, the Kansas team lead for 
Indivisible KC, which is working to engage people in the voting process.She
 said provisional ballots are not bad but will not be counted until the 
county canvass, which in Johnson County begins Nov. 9, the Monday after 
the election, and may last until Nov. 17. A substantial number of 
provisional ballots could change the outcome of a close race.Mark urged voters to remain calm about the status of their mail ballots.“Get
 a cup of tea or whatever libation works for you and take a deep 
breath,” Mark said. “If you asked for your ballot by mail, wait for it 
in the mailbox, put it in front of you, and fill it out safely from 
home. That’s why you asked for it in the first place.”As
 mail ballots are received, the number of provisional ballots being 
filled out during early voting is expected to decline, said Katie 
Koupal, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State’s office.If voters are concerned about the status of their advanced ballot, <a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView" target="_blank">they can track it online</a>,
 Koupal said. Voters who are not sure whether they requested a by-mail 
ballot can contact the Secretary of State’s office or their local 
election office.Koupal
 said if voters requested a mail ballot but change their mind, they can 
still come and vote in person, but they will be given a provisional 
ballot.“If
 you wish to vote in person that is absolutely fine, but to prevent 
people from casting multiple votes you will be given a provisional 
ballot,” Koupal said.Secretary of State Scott 
Schwab said if someone requests a mail ballot, decides to cast a 
provisional ballot in person, and then also sends in the mail ballot, 
only the mail ballot will count.At
 some early voting locations, voters have found what appear to be longer
 lines than usual. Koupal said the line size only looks bigger because 
of the social distancing guidance put in place by the state in 
conjunction with local election offices.Schwab
 reiterated this week that voters cannot be denied an opportunity to 
vote because they aren’t wearing a mask, but he encouraged all to wear a
 mask and maintain a safe distance“Just to keep the peace in
 the process, obey your local health officials,” Schwab said. “Be safe 
out there. Wear a mask if you’re being requested to wear a mask just so 
you’re not creating a brawl.”The
 secretary of state’s office has provided poll workers with personal 
protective equipment kits and plexiglass shields to provide an extra 
layer of protection.Despite
 how the increased distance may make things appear, Koupal said 
locations with a large turnout — like Johnson County, Sedgwick County 
and Shawnee County — are reporting quick-moving lines.Davis
 Hammett, president of Loud Light, a group that promotes election 
participation, said these long lines do pose some concern for overall 
turnout.“There
 are some people who, it’s like arranging the transportation, getting 
the time off work — all of that can be a big barrier,” Hammet said. “So I
 would say if you do want to avoid that, you do still have time to 
request a mail ballot, but you need to do so now.”The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is Oct. 27. Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received at the local election office by Friday, Nov. 6.

Kan. election offices dealing with influx of provisional ballots from early voters