Early primary voting in Kansas City indicates ‘decent’ turnout, a few hiccups

Early primary voting in Kansas City amid the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded relatively smoothly today, with what appeared to be a decent turnout and some snags.

The AP reported Tuesday morning that several dozen poll workers in both Kansas City and St. Louis still hadn’t shown up to their precincts when polls opened at 6 a.m.

Kansas City Board of Elections Director Lauri Ealom confirmed the absences Tuesday afternoon but said paid substitutes on standby were quickly deployed to precincts as needed.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Missouri and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Kansas.

Ealom also reported that officials had to scramble Monday when it appeared that an unspecified Kansas City polling location was about to back out the day before the election.

“I already had an event rental company on stand by with tents,” Ealom said.

“If he wasn’t going to allow us to use the poll, what I was going to then do was ask him if I could drop a tent in the parking lot so that we didn’t have to change the poll, and then add parquet flooring, generators.”

There are only 50 polling locations in Kansas City — down from 142 in the August 2016 primary.

Ealom said polls seem to be running smoothly in general and predicted “relatively decent turnout.”

“It wasn’t bad at all,” 68-year-old Lee Wallace of Kansas City said after casting his ballot at the Brush Creek Community Center. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was pretty easy.”

Missouri and Kansas voters will decide a number of key contests Tuesday, while putting their states’ election infrastructure to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missouri voters will weigh in on a proposed constitutional amendment that would expand Medicaid for an estimated 300,000 low-income residents. They will also cast votes in the gubernatorial primary.

In the closely watched Kansas Senate contest, U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall and former Secretary of State Kris Kobach are among 11 Republicans competing to succeed retiring Sen. Pat Roberts. Barbara Bollier has emerged as the Democratic frontrunner in a race that could determine which party controls the Senate next year.

First-term Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids has drawn five Republican challengers hoping to reclaim the 3rd District for the GOP.

Kansas 2nd District incumbent Steve Watkins, currently facing felony charges in an illegal voting case, will look to defend his seat against two fellow Republicans, state Treasurer Jake LaTurner and former Kansas state cabinet secretary Dennis Taylor.

In addition to congressional races, Missouri voters will cast ballots in statewide contests for secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in both states, in-person voters will have to navigate a number of safety precautions, including stickers on the floor to keep people socially distanced and plexiglass barriers between voters and poll workers.

Keshawn Sanders, a 22-year-old temp with the KC Board of Elections, was scouting out the Robert J. Mohart Center precinct early Tuesday morning. He said each polling location is equipped with a “Corona kit” of screen protector wipes, gloves and hand sanitizer, and that if any location starts running low on supplies, the election board will make sure they get restocked.

Another Brush Creek voter, Nairobi Collins, 46, said she felt safe voting because of the added precautions.

“It’s different. I mean, there’s more space. The plastic guards are up. They have an individual stylus for each person,” Collins said. “The people are far enough away from you that are helping. It feels safe.”

Independence voter Danny Burns expressed a different sentiment after casting his ballot at the Hanthorn Early Education precinct Tuesday morning.

“It’s fine. It’s totally ridiculous but it’s fine,” Burns said, removing his mask in the parking lot. He said he wore it because he felt he had to.

“This whole thing is a mess. We shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.

But state election officials in Missouri and Kansas have said voters can’t be required to wear a mask to cast a ballot.

With fewer election volunteers available, many in-person voters should be prepared to travel to a different polling station than usual.

Absentee ballots in Kansas must be postmarked on or before Tuesday and arrive at the election office by 5 p.m. Friday to be counted. Missouri absentee ballots must be received by the time polls close Tuesday.

This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 2:20 PM.