Early voter turnout ahead of Lawrence City Commission primary is ‘fairly normal,’ county clerk says; here’s how you can still vote

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Elections Office on West 23rd Street is pictured on July 13, 2022.

Just a few days out from Tuesday’s primary election in the Lawrence City Commission race, the Douglas County clerk says the current turnout for early voting is “fairly normal” for an off-year primary at around 2%.

County Clerk Jamie Shew said that as of Friday morning, 734 people had cast early votes in person and the county had received 446 mail ballots. Lawrence has about 61,000 eligible voters, Shew said, so the voter turnout so far is about 1.9%. That’s slightly higher than most school board or City Commission primary elections, he said, but still “fairly normal.”

The City Commission race is the only primary race on the ballot this year. Two four-year terms are up for election in November, and Tuesday’s primary will shrink the field from the current 13 candidates to just four.

The candidates are Paul Buskirk, Michael K. Courtney, Mike Harreld, Eric B. Hyde, Alex Kerr, Steve Jacob, Ruby Mae Johnson, Bart Littlejohn, Amanda Nielsen, Kristine Polian, Bob Schumm, Peter Victor Shenouda and Courtney Shipley. Littlejohn is the only incumbent in the race.

If you haven’t yet voted, there are still opportunities to vote in person before Election Day. The county will be offering in-person early voting at the County Election Office, 711 W. 23rd St., until 5 p.m. today, Aug. 1; from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2; and from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 4.

For Election Day on Tuesday, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can use the county’s elections website, dgcoks.gov/county-clerk/voting-and-elections/where-to-vote, to find a map with directions to your polling place.

The deadline to apply for a mail ballot has already passed, but if you have one and have not yet mailed it back, keep in mind that it has to be postmarked by Election Day and received by Friday, Aug. 8, to be counted. There are also three drop boxes where you can directly drop off your mail ballot: one at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.; one at the Douglas County Treasurer’s Sixth Street Office, 2601 W. Sixth St.; and one at the County Election Office. The drop boxes will be closed at 7 p.m. on Election Day, the same time that the polls close.

For more information about the candidates and their policy positions, check out the Journal-World’s primary election guide here.