Media Advisory for 2026 Primary Election, Aug. 4

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – The 2026 Primary Election will take place Tuesday, Aug. 4, with 109 polling locations across Sedgwick County open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Voters are encouraged to check their polling location, as more than 41,000 registered voters were reassigned due to the expansion of locations. Voters can check their polling place and view their sample ballot at Kansas Secretary of State | VoterView (voteks.org).

When polling places close Tuesday, the Sedgwick County Election Office will begin the process of reporting unofficial results for the election.

How many votes have been cast so far?

As of Friday, July 31, more than 16,000 registered voters have cast early ballots at the advance voting locations in Sedgwick County.

The Election Office mailed 14,195 advance ballots to voters who applied to vote by mail. So far, more than 6,900 mail ballots have been returned. Advance mail ballots can be returned to any of the 17 community drop boxes in Wichita, at any polling site or directly to the Election Office.

Election Day Media Coverage

Please be mindful not to disrupt citizens in the process of voting. Media personnel wishing to get video inside a polling location are asked to check in with the Supervising Judge dedicated to each site. No voting will take place at the Election Office on Election Day.

Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater will be available for media interviews at the following times and locations:

7 a.m.: Price-Harris Communications Magnet Elementary School — 706 N. Armour St.

4 p.m.: Wilbur Middle School – 340 N. Tyler Rd.

Approx. 9 p.m.: Sedgwick County Election Office – 3639 N. Comotara St.

Separate 1-on-1 interviews will be granted if properly coordinated with Strategic Communications in advance.

Additional polling sites recommended for media coverage include:

Life Church West Wichita – 3210 N. Maize Rd.

Riverside Christian Church – 1001 Litchfield N.

Church of the Magdalen - 12626 E 21st St N

Linwood Recreation Center - 1901 S Kansas St

Election Night Media Coverage

An Election Office collaboration room will be available from 6:30-10 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Election Office, 3639 N. Comotara St., for the media to monitor election results and conduct interviews. Media interested in photographs and/or b-roll will be permitted with proper notification of Sedgwick County Strategic Communications.

The media point of contact for Election Day is Brandon Zenner, Community Relations Specialist. You can contact him at (cell phone) 816-508-8945, (office) 316-660-9385, brandon.zenner@sedgwick.gov or communications@sedgwick.gov.

When will results be available?

Votes cast at polling places on Election Day are returned to the Election Office and tabulated. The unofficial results will be updated periodically until all precincts are reporting. The first unofficial results will include votes cast at the Election Office, the 19 advance satellite voting locations and mail ballots returned to the Election Office. Final Election Day results are unofficial. The results will not be official until the final canvass for the election is held on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

When unofficial results are available, they will be released to these sites in the following order:

1- Sedgwick County Election Office website

https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/elections/election-results/

2- Sedgwick County social media accounts

Facebook – Sedgwick County Government

X – @SedgwickCounty

3- Email

Distributed by communications@sedgwick.gov

What ballots are left to count after Election Day?

Mail ballots received by the Election Office on Election Day, including those that were returned to drop boxes or polling places, will be counted after Election Day.

An additional update to the unofficial results is expected to be released Wednesday afternoon.

Provisional ballots will be reviewed and counted at the 2026 Primary Election canvass, which begins on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 2 p.m. at the Election Office. The results will be certified when the canvass reconvenes Monday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. Media and the public are welcome to attend the canvass or view online on the Sedgwick County Government Facebook page. Official final results will be released after the canvass.

For more election information and a calendar of important dates, visit Election Office | Sedgwick County, Kansas.