photo by: Journal-World File Photo

A voter heads to a polling precinct at Central United Methodist Church before noon Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012.

Voters in Douglas County can now sign up to receive text or email messages with information about upcoming elections, including deadlines to turn in ballots and polling locations.

County Clerk Jamie Shew said the pilot project was launched Friday in a partnership with Democracy Works, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing voter turnout.

“Our office shares information using direct mail and traditional media, we were also one of the first election offices to use social media to reach voters,” Shew said in a news release. “This project will expand our efforts to inform voters by directly communicating with them via email or text.”

Jamie Shew, Douglas County Clerk

Shew said he decided to launch the project this year mainly because of a recent change in Kansas election law that moved city and school board elections to November of odd-numbered years instead of the spring.

“It is vital we get information to voters about this significant change in local elections, so our office specifically focused on launching this project in 2017,” he said.

Voters can sign up for the service at douglascountyelections.com/reminders.