More than 22% of voters have already cast ballots

    While the focus of this year’s General Election has been on the U.S. presidential race, voters in Chase County will also decide some local races when they go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3.
    Interest has been high with more than 20% of the county’s voters already casting ballots.
    Early voting ballot requests are not as high as in the May Primary at this point, but 22.4% of Chase County’s 2,495 registered voters have already voted, according to figures from the Chase County Clerks Office.
    Wendy Moe in the clerk’s office said there were 676 requests for early ballots. Of those, 561 had been returned as of Wednesday morning.
    At the May Primary, there were 966 early voting requests. Of those, 858 were returned and counted, she said.
    In-person voting can still be done at the clerk’s office through Nov. 2.
    Voters must make a written request in person at the clerk’s office, Moe said. Ballots will then be handed to them at that time, and they can vote then and there, or take them home for further study.
    However, those ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. election night to be counted, Moe said.
    She emphasized early ballot requests made now through Monday can only be returned to the clerk’s office by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. They cannot be returned to the polling places, she said.
    Moe said their office has a lot of sanitizing supplies provided by the Secretary of State’s Office which will be used on election day.
    Masks will also be available at each polling place. She said masks will not be required for voters or poll workers.
    Chase County’s five polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Local races are few
    There are just a few contested races in Chase County.
    Drawing the most local interest, and signage, is the Imperial city council race, where three are seeking the two open seats. Candidates are incumbent Doug Gaswick and challengers Craig Loeffler and Duncan Einspahr.
    Voters in Upper Republican NRD Subdistrict 3 will choose from David C. Brown or David R. Oxford, Jr. for the board seat replacing Kerry Bernhardt. Subdistrict 3 includes south central and southwest Chase County including the community of Champion, and north central and western Dundy County including the community of Haigler.

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