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Kansas early voting numbers to surpass last midterm in 2014

Posted at 3:42 PM, Oct 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-12 13:53:45-05

OLATHE, Kan. -- Voters are eager for the midterm election in 19 days. So eager, dozens of Johnson County voters showed up on the wrong day to vote early. 

Kansas voters have a lot to decide on November 6th. 

Some around the state have already voted. You can’t vote in person in Johnson County until next Monday. 

The race for governor and a seat in Congress is getting national attention. 

LISTEN: Kansas candidates for governor talk priorities, personalities

"I’ve never been a political person until now, but I can't stand what is happening in our country," voter Angie VanHercke said. "It's in the news, it's on TV and the talk about immigration and guns.”

We wanted to know where this midterm stacked up against the one in 2014. 

This year, nearly 137,000 mail-in ballots were requested in the state, compared to only 98,000 in 2014. 

"We need to get some civility back in our politics. It's terrible what is going on,” said Garry VanHercke. 

"In the past, it was more compromise," said voter Billy Hall. "Now, it's like a battlefield and people are stimulated from that."

LISTEN: Sharice Davids, Kevin Yoder talk campaign, Johnson County values

The anger, passion and lack of civility has caused an expected record turnout on Election Day. 

When it comes to party affiliation, Democrats requested about 54,000 mail in ballots, Republicans about 55,000 and independents about 26,000. 

"It's running neck and neck with what is happening in 2016,” said Ronnie Metsker, Johnson County Election Commissioner. 

Metsker says the county set a voter registration record of more than 417,000 registered voters. 

"We don’t know how it will translate to voter turnout on election day, but this Monday we start advanced vote and we know it will be big,” he said. 

For Wyandotte County, in-person early voting starts Tuesday.