Spring election guide: For some in Johnson County, it’s time to vote
Issues from large — the future of development — to smaller but no less meaningful — what company picks up residents’ trash — are facing voters in three cities in northeast Johnson County.
Voters on Tuesday will choose city councilors in Prairie Village, Mission and Westwood and the mayor in Westwood. In-person advance voting began Tuesday at the Johnson County Election Office, 2101 E. Kansas City Road in Olathe, for Tuesday’s spring election.
This will be the last regularly scheduled spring election to choose city leaders, because the Kansas Legislature moved city elections to the November ballot of odd-numbered years. It’s a light election because several cities chose to lengthen city council terms to accommodate the new election calendar.
Here reporter David Twiddy presents an overview of each city’s election: the candidates and where they stand on the issues. In Prairie Village, where building codes and the development of the future Meadowbrook Park are big issues, residents will vote on three council seats. In Mission, it’s the Mission Gateway development that will be on many residents’ minds as they vote for two council members. Westwood voters and candidates are concerned with development, particularly the former Entercom site, which the Shawnee Mission school board agreed to buy Monday night.
Advance voting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; and from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, when in-person advance voting closes.
To vote by mail, complete an application and fax to 913-791-8931, 913-791-8932 or 913-791-8933 or mail it to Johnson County Election Office, 2101 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS 66061. Applications are available online at jocoelection.org and at the election office and libraries. The application must be received at the election office before 5 p.m. Friday.
Election Day polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
To read more about the Westwood race, click here.
To read more about the Mission race, click here.
To read more about the Prairie Village race, click here.
If you do not provide a citizenship document when you complete your voter registration application, you must submit it to the county election office. You may submit it by mail, hand delivery, fax or email.
You must present a government-issued photo ID each time you vote in Kansas. Valid ID includes your driver’s license, non-driver ID card, U.S. passport or Kansas college ID.
Visit http://www.gotvoterid.com/ for a full list and more information.
Check your voter registration and polling place and view your sample ballot at www.jocoelection.org.
The Johnson County Election Office will use an electronic poll book at polling stations to check in voters, instead of the old paper version. Tuesday’s election is the third time the office has used the device, which is meant to streamline the process. To watch a video on the device and the office’s election preparation, visit kansascity.com.
This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 11:52 PM with the headline "Spring election guide: For some in Johnson County, it’s time to vote."