With Barton County voters casting their ballots for the general election Tuesday, Election Officer Donna Zimmerman wanted to remind voters of the polling places and other last-minute election information. This is particularly important in this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and since a polling station has been relocated and new drive-up ballot boxes are available.

• “Polls will be open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. and voters are reminded to bring their photo ID with them,” she said. In addition, advance voting is available until noon Monday at the County Clerk’s Office on the second floor of the Barton County Courthouse, 1400 Main in Great Bend.

• Also new this year are the new drive-up ballot dropboxes located at Central Kansas Community Corrections in Great Bend and the Hoisington City Building in Hoisington, she said. These will be open for voters to drop their ballots until exactly 7 p.m. on Tuesday, and there is no postage is required, she said.

After that, they will be locked until the next election.

• “Mailed ballots can also be hand-delivered to our office until 7 p.m. on Election Day or hand-delivered to any polling location, Zimmerman said. They can also be mailed to her office, but must be postmarked on or before election day and received on or before the Friday following the election.

• As for COVID-19, Zimmerman assures voters many safety protocols are in place.

“We encourage the wearing of masks when going to vote,” Zimmerman said. However, masks are not required. In addition, election workers will frequently sanitize high-touch surfaces, voting equipment will be sanitized prior to each use, and they will have sanitized stylus pens available for use in voting.

Polling places include:

Great Bend City 

• First Precinct – First Ward – Great Bend Rec Commission Activity Center 2715 18th, east main entrance

• Second Precinct – First Ward – Great Bend Rec Commission Activity Center 2715 18th, east main entrance

• Third Precinct – First Ward – Great Bend Rec Commission Activity Center 2715 18th, east main entrance

• First Precinct – Second Ward – Prince of Peace St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 4100 Broadway

• Second Precinct – Second Ward – Prince of Peace St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 4100 Broadway

• Third Precinct – Second Ward – Prince of Peace St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 4100 Broadway

• First Precinct – Third Ward – Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley, north entrance

• Second Precinct – Third Ward – Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley, north entrance

• Third Precinct – Third Ward – Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley, north entrance

• First Precinct – Fourth Ward – Great Bend Recreation Commission Burnside Room, 1214 Stone - This is a new location because, due to COVID-19 restrictions at Great Bend city facilities, the Front Door is unavailable.

• Second Precinct – Fourth Ward – Great Bend Recreation Commission Burnside Room

• Third Precinct – Fourth Ward – Great Bend Recreation Commission Burnside Room

New ballot dropboxes

Central Kansas Community Corrections – 1208 Kansas, enter in the alley behind the Golden Belt Cinema 6, in Great Bend

Hoisington City Building – 109 E. First St., located in the alley next to the utility dropbox, Hoisington

At both locations, no postage is required.

Hoisington City 

• First and Second Wards – Hoisington Activity Center, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, main entrance

• Third and Fourth Wards – Hoisington Activity Center, main entrance

Townships

• Albion Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Eureka Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Fairview Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Grant Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• North Homestead Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side 

• South Homestead Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side 

• Union Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Walnut-Albert Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Walut-Olmitz Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Wheatland Township – Hoisington Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room, 1200 Susank Rd. Hoisington, entrance on northeast side

• Beaver Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin

• Cheyenne Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin

• Cleveland Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin

• Independent Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin

• Logan Township – Immaculate Conception Parish Hall 110 E. Williamson, Claflin

• Comanche Township – St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood

This includes both those voting for Ellinwood District Hospital candidates and those not.

• Lakin Township – St. Joseph Parish Center, 110 West Second, Ellinwood

This includes both Ellinwood city and rural only voters.

• Great Bend Township A – Barton County Sheriff’s Office firing range and training facility at 396 NE 30 Rd.

• Buffalo Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

• Clarence Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

• Great Bend Township B – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

• Liberty Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

• Pawnee Rock Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

• South Bend Township – Faith Community Church Family Center 293 West Barton County Road, south entrance

For more election information, contact the County Clerk’s Office, 620-793-1835.