Advance Voting Tips & Reminders

Advance Ballots by Mail


Notice of changes made to advance by mail ballot laws:

If returning in person: ballot must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day to any polling place within the county or to the county election office to be eligible to be counted.

If returning by mail: ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Friday after the election to be eligible to be counted.

The last day the county election office can mail a ballot to a voter is the Tuesday before the election.

  • When voting in advance, you (registered voter) must sign the outside of the ballot envelope. If you forget to sign the envelope, your vote cannot be counted.
  • The signature on the outside of the advance ballot envelope must match the name on the mailing label. If it does not match, your vote cannot be counted.
  • If you mail your advance ballot, it must be postmarked and received by the Friday after the election to be eligible to be counted.
  • If you forget to mail your advance ballot, you may vote provisionally at your polling place on Election Day.

Safeguarding your Advance Ballot

All voters who are voting by mail should adhere to the following guidelines to protect the integrity of their ballot.
  • Vote the ballot yourself.
  • Do not let another person tell you how you should vote.
  • If you are physically unable to vote the ballot, be certain that the person assisting you can be trusted and is NOT with a political campaign, your employer, agent of employer, or an officer or agent of a union to which you are a member. If you do require assistance, the person who assists you must sign the Affidavit of Assistance on the ballot envelope.
  • The registered voter must sign the ballot envelope. If your ballot envelope does not have a signature and address, your vote cannot be counted.
  • The ballot envelope signature must match the signature on your voter registration card that is on file at the Election Office. If it does not match, your vote cannot be counted.
  • Parents, spouses, Power of Attorney (POA) and/or candidates may not sign the ballot envelope for another voter.
  • If you have moved, you may still be entitled to vote. Contact the Election Office.
  • Return the ballot to the Seward County Election Office in person or mail it personally. Do not give your ballot to someone else to return for you.
  • Only you can protect your ballot and your vote! Allowing someone else to vote your ballot, or allowing someone else to return your ballot is illegal.

Distributing Advance Voting Applications

  • State law does not permit anyone to interfere with or delay the delivery of any advance voting ballot applications to the county election office. Applications must be faxed or mailed directly to the county election office.
  • If you are collecting advance voting ballot applications, State law requires that the applications be transmitted ONLY to the county election office within two days after the voter has signed the application for a ballot.
  • If you are providing envelopes for voters to return advance voting ballot applications, the return address should be provided as follows: Seward County Clerk’s Office,515 N. Washington, Suite 100
    Liberal, KS 67901.
  • Routing these applications to any address other than the county election office is a violation of State law. KSA 25-1128
  • Advance voting ballot applications may be mailed, or  Email to Stacia Long. 
Seward County Clerk's Office, 515 N Washington Suite 100, Liberal, KS 67901, Phone (620) 626-3355.