Labette County is consolidating voting locations, dropping to nine polling sites from 15.
The change resulted from the county purchasing 10 new vote tabulators, which should be available for use in the Nov. 4 general election. Nine of the machines will be located in polling locations and the 10th will be in the county clerk’s office in Oswego.
A primary election is scheduled Aug. 5 for two open seats on the Labette County USD 506 school board. However, the tabulators will not be used at polling locations for the school district. The county will count the ballots in the basement of the county courthouse as usual for this election, County Clerk Gena Landis told county commissioners recently. The commission, acting as the board of canvassers, will canvass the votes from the Aug. 5 primary on Monday, Aug. 11.
The number of polling sites will drop because of the expense of the new tabulation equipment and the limited turnout at some polling locations.
Beginning Monday, June 16, the county clerk will mail notices to voters telling them their voting location.
The tabulators scan voters’ marked ballots. Voters feed these ballots into the machine and provide feedback to the voter, such as the success of the scan. This feedback includes that their vote was counted or that there was an issue with the ballot, allowing voters to cure the problem at the polling location. If a voter marks the ballot incorrectly, such as marking two candidates in a race where only one was to be selected, the machine will share this. Without fixing the problem, this race would not be counted on the voter’s ballot.
These are the new voting locations in the county.
Canada, Elm Grove, & Howard Townships: Edna Community Senior Center, 109 S. Labette, Edna Fairview, & Mount Pleasant Townships: First Baptist Church, 400 S. Wabash, Altamont Labette & Liberty Townships: Center Bethel Church, 1699 18000 Road, Parsons Mound Valley & Osage Townships: Mound Valley Community Center, 505 Hickory, Mound Valley Chetopa City, Hackberry & Richland Townships: Mae Lessley Community Center, 22 Maple, Chetopa Oswego City, Montana & Oswego Townships: Oswego Community Center, 203 North, Oswego Parsons 1st & 2nd Wards (All Precincts), Neosho & North Townships: First Baptist Church (gym) 1621 Main, Parsons Parsons 3rd Ward (All Precincts): First Christian Church, 1500 S. 29th, Parsons Parsons 4th Ward (All Precincts) & Walton Township: Wall Family Center, 2605 Main, Parsons The six polling locations that were eliminated were: Bartlett Community Church for Hackberry & Fairview Townships; Meadow View Grade School for Labette Township; Foursquare Church for Neosho & North Township; Parsons Municipal Building for Parsons 2nd Ward; Westside Christian Church for Walton Township; and Osage Community Building for Osage Township.
