County Commission to vote on new, larger Election Office

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Sedgwick County Election Office wants a much bigger location, and it may get one after a vote this Wednesday.

The Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners will vote on whether to buy the Walton’s building at 3639 N. Comotara St. The address is about eight miles northeast of the current election office at Central and Main in downtown Wichita.

Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater says the election office has outgrown its space in the Historic Courthouse. She also said election workers need to have easy access to election equipment.

“Our election equipment is not stored here at the Historic Courthouse,” she said. “It’s stored at a very secure location at a warehouse. We need to be under one roof.”

Rainwater said the county has looked at many locations for a new office for the past six or seven years. She said the Walton’s building is perfect.

“It’s a beautiful office and warehouse space combined,” she said. “It has easy access to K-96 and Rock Road.”

“It’s not in the core of Wichita, but how often do people come to the election office, you know? You don’t come here very often,” Rainwater said.

The cost is much more than what the Capital Improvement Program has budgeted for it. The Walton’s building would cost the county $4.5 million. The project’s CIP budget was set at $3 million many years ago.

The county staff report says, “A budget transfer to the Elections Office/transfer out budget will be necessary to then execute an interfund transfer of cash from the General Fund to the CIP Fund to fund the purchase of this building, along with any incidental costs.”

In an update to the Sedgwick County Commission last month, Assistant County Manager Tania Cole said the final cost of buying the property and moving the election office could be closer to $5.88 million. She said the additional money would be needed for things like fencing, signage, furniture, movers, and other items that come up.

Cole said the property would provide the following:

46,613 square feet of combined office and warehouse space

128+ parking spaces

Four loading docks

Four entrances

A drive of 15 minutes from downtown

10,800 square feet of additional storage space

Security cameras that might help with future election office requirements

Rainwater said the biggest challenge of the potential new location would be early voting.

“We open up early voting at the election office two weeks before every election, and what I plan to do once we move … is then open a satellite location here in downtown Wichita and also one out west, two weeks before the election, to access for voters so they don’t have to drive clear across town.”

If the county commission approves the $4.5 million purchase agreement, the move would not happen this year. Rainwater said the earliest the election office could move is the spring or summer of 2025.