CAPTION: A pennant outside the Reno County Clerk’s Office at 125 West 1st Ave in Hutchinson. CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE
By Michael Glenn
Reno County is fully staffed with poll workers to handle the Aug. 6 primary election, according to Deputy County Clerk Jenna Fager.
Fager said the only requirement to be a poll or board worker is to be a registered voter in Reno County.
“We try to keep everyone around where they live and make sure it’s a bipartisan board in every area,” Fager said. “We hire just under 200 board workers.”
Fager said the county will hire anyone 16 and up to be a poll worker. Minors are typically put with seasoned workers.
“We do currently have enough with backups,” Fager said. “In November, that might be a different case.”
There are 27 polling stations across Reno County, with the largest station having moved buildings this year. Fager said the voting location on the Kansas State Fairgrounds has changed slightly.
“It’s actually going to be at the Sunflower North and Sunflower South buildings, and we will have signs for which precincts go where,” Fager said.
For those wishing to vote before Aug. 6, Fager said they can either mail in an advanced ballot or come in person to vote at the clerk’s office, located at 125 West 1st Ave in Hutchinson.
As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, there have been 807 walk-in votes. The clerk’s office will also be open for voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.
Fager said after polls close at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6, the counting process begins.
“As they come in, they’ll bring in the machines and verify the seals,” Fager said. “We pull the cards and upload them. I’ll have our advanced and early votes in one report. I’ll upload them onto our website and have it up by 7:30 p.m. at the latest. I’ll upload the cards periodically throughout the event.”
Fager said she is hoping the unofficial results will be finished by 9:30 p.m.
For voters interested in what their ballots will look like, Fager said they can check out myvoteinfo.voteks.org to preview each ballot.
