Kansas elections approach like a runaway train. Here’s how to hop aboard and feel informed.

Poll workers help a voter on Aug. 6, 2024, at a Lawrence precinct. (Maya Smith for Kansas Reflector)

So many choices, so little time!

Elections can be overwhelming, and trying to stay on top of who is running for what and how their values match up with your own can be daunting. Thankfully, several tools can help you quickly and easily answer these questions before you hit the ballot box.

Our state government has websites where you can check your voter registration, find your polling place, discover where you can vote early or how to vote by mail, and learn what issues and candidates will appear on your ballot. Comprehensive election information may be found at the secretary of state’s voter information page , and personalized registration and polling information is located at the Voter View section .

Want an even easier way to know who is on your ballot? Ballotpedia has got your back . Another great resource is VOTE 411 , where you can check your registration, register to vote and see who and what is on your ballot!

Important upcoming deadlines and dates include Oct. 15 (the last day to register to vote or change your voter registration information before the general election), because advance voting begins Oct. 16. Check in with your county voting officials to find out hours and locations in your area. Advance mail-in ballots will be sent out at that time, too.

Oct. 29 is the last day you can apply for an advance voting mail-in ballot, but my advice would be to not wait until the last minute. Advance voting ends Nov. 4 at noon because (drum roll, please) the big day is Nov. 5! State law mandates that the polls are open at least from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but it also allows for counties to choose to be open 6 am to 8 pm. To be counted, your mail-in ballot must be POSTMARKED by Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 8. More details are available at this page from the secretary of state .

That’s a great start, and if you are immersed in the day-to-day world of the Kansas Legislature, you likely don’t need anything more.

However, if you want to really know what your candidates say they believe and see that backed up by their previous actions, we need to dig a little deeper. I have found two terrific resources that have made figuring out the answers to these questions fun (really!). One of them helped me to define my own thoughts and views more thoroughly and see how they line up with potential candidates in my local races, and the other focuses on a central issue for me as a high-risk obstetrics physician — reproductive choice.

Let’s go from the general to the specific. Check out ActiVote and answer a few questions to find out where your opinions about policy, generally, place you on a scale from national-focused to local-focused, and whether your views on economic and social policy are liberal or conservative. You will see which historical and national lawmakers share views like yours. The more policy questions you consider, the better defined your profile will be.

You can also see how your opinions compare with other people who take the quizzes around the country. When I answered these questions, there were a few surprises I wasn’t expecting. Mostly I learned that we, as citizens of the United States, have much more in common than what divides us.

Next, you can check out all the officials who make the laws that affect your life, including links to their websites and social media, work and education history, and how their voting record places them on the national-individual and left-right matrix. These features helped me understand the difference between what my candidates say they believe (as featured on their social media posts) and what they actually do when the votes are called.

Not done having fun yet? There are civics quizzes that test your knowledge of how American government works, and you learn more while finding out what you do — and don’t — already know. But you don’t need to answer those questions to learn about the candidates before casting your vote.

Are you interested in knowing how candidates stack up on reproductive decision making? You can visit Choice Tracker to see their new Kansas-based website. This tool just became available for our state in late July. You put in your address and ZIP code, and the site will show you your state legislators (all of whom are up for reelection in November). Their status is based on how they voted in the last legislative session on the laws that impact reproductive freedoms in our state. Importantly, your information is never saved and does not get passed on to any candidates.

Yes, voting is a civic duty, which makes it closer to a chore than a joy for most of us. But walking into a polling place armed with accurate information can make voters feel powerful, intelligent and, dare I say, happy to contribute. Remember to stay informed and be kind, always.

Elizabeth Wickstrom is a maternal fetal medicine specialist who lives in Prairie Village. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here .