Johnson County early voting draws big crowds on day before primary

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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Monday was the last day to cast an early ballot in Johnson County ahead of the August primary election.

County election officials said 72,135 early voting ballots had been cast as of Saturday. On Monday, long lines stretched inside and outside the Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park, with some voters describing the scene as unexpectedly busy.

"I would easily say there were close to 100 people in there," Francesca Dessert said.

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"I was shocked at how busy it was today," Kelley Patterson said.

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"Oh gosh, there was a long line, but they're super efficient," Tom Jacobs said.

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For some Johnson County voters, early voting is a routine.

"I vote early here almost every time," Brenda Burch said.

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Voters pointed to several high-profile ballot issues as a possible driver of the large turnout.

"I think it could be the run for governor," Patterson said.

"The constitutional amendment is on people's minds. That's a big deal," Jacobs said.

John Batten / KSHB

Despite the busy final day, the most recently available data from the Johnson County Election Office shows early voting in this year's primary is down 23% compared to the 2022 midterm primary, when abortion was on the ballot.

Johnson County voters also saw changes to early voting locations this election, losing eight previous sites while gaining two new ones.

Still, voters say the act of casting a ballot — whenever and wherever — is what matters.

"It's a privilege in our state, it's a privilege in our country, and we should all exercise the right to vote," Patterson said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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