May 2, 2020 - Kansas Primary (All Mail)

OVERVIEW
In total, Kansas Democratic Party sent out over 400,000 ballots over the course of three mailings, the first on March 30.

Although the race had been settled since April 8 when Sanders suspended his campaign and Biden became the presumptive nominee on April 8, Sanders was still accumulating delegates.  Also, the state party pushed for strong turnout, arguing that, "If we want to make sure voters have the option to vote-by-mail in future elections, especially for the November general election if the COVID-19 virus has not been contained, Kansans must prove that vote-by-mail keeps our communities safe and makes our democracy stronger." 

A total of 147,446 ballots were cast, including over and under votes and 146,873 votes were tallied.  Turnout, based on 422,969 registered Democrats as of April 20,  was 34.7%.  (This was many times greater than for the March 5, 2016 caucuses, where 39,043 Kansas Democrats participated and Sanders won by a 2:1 margin).  Only Sanders and Biden met the 15% threshhold.  The party used a ranked choice voting system to refine the results, and Biden bested Sanders by about a 3:1 margin in each congressional district. 

District-Level Delegate Allocation (26 Delegates)
U.S. Congressional District 1   
District Level Delegates: 5   
Joseph R. Biden:    4 District Level Delegates
Bernie Sanders    1 District Level Delegate
   
U.S. Congressional District 2   
District Level Delegates: 7   
Joseph R. Biden:    5 District Level Delegates
Bernie Sanders    2 District Level Delegates
   
U.S. Congressional District 3   
District Level Delegates: 8   
Joseph R. Biden:    6 District Level Delegates
Bernie Sanders    2 District Level Delegates
   
U.S. Congressional District 4   
District Level Delegates: 6   
Joseph R. Biden:    4 District Level Delegates
Bernie Sanders    2 District Level Delegates

___________________________________

press releases...
Kansas Democratic Party    
May 3, 2020

KDP Releases 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary Results

Topeka, KS - Today, the Kansas Democratic Party has announced its 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary results, with former Vice President Joe Biden winning 76.9% of the popular vote. Senator Bernie Sanders was the only other candidate to reach the viability threshold with 23.1%. The 2020 Primary set a participation record with 146,873 ballots cast for a total turnout rate of 34.7% among registered Democrats in Kansas. For more information on the 2020 Primary results, please click here.

The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary was the KDP’s first Party-run primary since 1992. The KDP incorporated a vote-by-mail component into its 2020 Primary plan over a year ago but pivoted to a completely by-mail election to protect the safety of all Kansans during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address the challenges imposed by COVID-19, the KDP introduced several reforms to increase accessibility, including (1) introducing a supplemental mailing on April 7th of more than 10,000 ballots, (2) extending the ballot request deadline, and (3) modifying the original postmark deadline to a “received by” deadline of May 2nd.

On this exciting development, KDP Chair Vicki Hiatt stated: “The KDP offers its congratulations to former Vice President Joseph Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders for receiving delegates from the Sunflower State. Kansas Democrats made history in this election with record participation levels along with demonstrating how a vote-by-mail election can protect voters and our Democracy, even in the most uncertain of times. We are confident the enthusiasm and engagement seen during the 2020 Primary will only continue to grow and translate into Democratic victories up and down the ballot in November.”

Additionally, KDP Executive Director Ben Meers commented: “By implementing reforms such as ranked choice ballots and an entirely vote-by-mail election, the KDP was able to significantly increase accessibility and voter turnout in this unprecedented election. The Kansas Democratic Party will carry this record-breaking momentum into our robust coordinated campaign to elect Democrats who will fight for working families, healthcare reform, and a future we all can be proud of in November.”

The KDP’s updated DSP summary is viewable here. The KDP is aware of an agreement between the Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders campaigns and will be working to implement it for our PLEO and At-Large Delegate elections held during the first week of June. We will update the press and our members with more information about this process when available. For more information on the Kansas Delegate Selection Process please visit: https://kansasdems.org/beadelegate.

April 8, 2020

KDP Issues Statement on 2020 Primary and Bernie Sanders Campaign Suspension

Topeka, KS – Right now, Kansas is showing the nation how a vote-by-mail election can protect voters and our democracy at large during this uncertain time. Yesterday, we saw Republicans jeopardize public health and safety in Wisconsin by forcing thousands of voters to defy CDC guidelines in order to advocate for themselves at the ballot box. It is crucial we prevent this from occurring at the national level come November. To guarantee the basic principle that voters will not have to risk their livelihoods in order to vote, Kansas voters must prove that when we make our elections as inclusive, accessible, and safe as possible, voter turnout increases and our democracy thrives.

Bernie Sanders’s decision to suspend his campaign will not change the Kansas 2020 Presidential Primary. The KDP has mailed over 370,000 ballots to registered Democrats and will send over 10,000 more throughout April. Along with all formally filed candidates, Bernie Sanders will remain on the ballot and Kansas voters can still choose to vote their preference on their ranked-choice ballots. If Bernie Sanders reaches the 15% viability threshold of the vote, he will be awarded Kansas delegates. It is then up to the Sanders campaign to determine whether to keep or redistribute any delegates received.

On this new development, KDP Chair Vicki Hiatt commented:

“We recognize that many Kansas voters will be disappointed by today’s news that Bernie Sander’s has chosen to suspend his campaign. However, we cannot overstate the importance of voting by mail in the Kansas 2020 Primary. If we want to make sure voters have the option to vote-by-mail in future elections, especially for the November general election if the COVID-19 virus has not been contained, Kansans must prove that vote-by-mail keeps our communities safe and makes our democracy stronger. The KDP needs our members to step up to the plate now more than ever. Please make sure you vote, and then call your neighbors, family members and other loved ones to make sure they make their voices heard. Together, we will prove vote-by-mail must be prioritized at the local, state, and national level throughout the 2020 cycle to keep our communities safe and our democracy vibrant.”

A vote-by-mail schedule is included below for convenience:

If you are a registered Democrat and have not received your ballot by April 10, 2020,** you can request another mail-in ballot by calling the KDP office or filling out an online form at: https://kansasdems.org/request-mail-ballot.

**Note: The mail-in ballot request form will not be available online until April 10, 2020 to ensure adequate time for ballots to be delivered by mail.

The deadline to request a ballot is April 24, 2020.

Voters should follow the instructions included with their ballots and mail their ballot so that it is received by May 2, 2020.

Please visit our website for a complete vote-by-mail schedule and more information about ranked-choice-voting at www.kansasdems.org/2020Primary.

_________________________

Kansas Democratic Party
March 30, 2020

KDP Issues Update for 2020 Primary Election*

Topeka, KS – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DNC has approved the following changes to the Kansas Democratic Party’s 2020 Primary Election schedule to ensure a safe and fair electoral process. To best protect the safety of all Kansas Democrats during this uncertain time, the 2020 Primary will be conducted completely by mail, there will be NO IN-PERSON VOTING on May 2, 2020.

Over ten percent of the polling locations originally secured as in-person sites have independently cancelled their contract with the KDP due to safety concerns about in-person voting and the novel coronavirus. The KDP recognizes that this is a significant change to the electoral process but remains confident that the mail-in ballot process will ensure all Kansas Democrats have the ability to make their voices heard during this important election. We will continue working with our county and local affiliates along with the press to reach voters across Kansas and inform them of new dates and deadlines.

To adapt to these changes, the KDP has introduced a supplemental mailing for ballots, extended the deadline to request a mail-in ballot and introduced a “received by” deadline for ballots. The KDP is continuing to advise those interested in participating in the 2020 Primary to register as a Democrat as soon as possible through www.ksvotes.org to make sure they are automatically mailed a ballot.

The complete vote-by-mail schedule as of March 27, 2020 is as follows:

On March 30, 2020, all registered Democrats in Kansas will automatically be mailed an official 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary ballot, along with a secrecy sleeve and return envelope to enclose and return their ballot. Ballots are pre-paid and do not require a stamp.

On April 7, 2020, the Kansas Democratic Party will send a supplemental ballot mailing to recently-registered Democrats who were not included in the March 30th mailing. Ballots are pre-paid and do not require a stamp.

If you are a registered Democrat and have not received your ballot by April 10, 2020,** you can request another mail-in ballot until April 24, 2020 by calling the KDP office or filling out an online form at: https://live-kansasdems.pantheonsite.io/request-mail-ballot.

**Note: The mail-in ballot request form will not be available online until April 10, 2020 to ensure adequate time for ballots to be delivered by mail. 

Voters should follow the instructions included with their ballots and mail their ballot so that it is received by May 2, 2020.

The KDP will begin processing ballots as they are received at our headquarters. The KDP will plan on releasing results as soon as they are available through our website, social media channels and to the press.

In response to these preventative measures, Vicki Hiatt, Chair of the Kansas Democratic Party released the following statement:

“Removing our in-person voting locations for the 2020 Primary was an extremely difficult decision to make but the unprecedented gravity of COVID-19 has required significant changes to our operations to ensure the safety of all Kansans during this electoral process. The KDP maintains its commitment to a fair and transparent election and I want to assure all concerned Kansans that we are doing everything possible to make sure their voices are heard in the 2020 Primary. Kansas was already well-positioned for this pandemic due to our vote-by-mail component and we are confident that the changes we have made to our schedule will expand the accessibility of this process for all voters who would like to participate in the 2020 Primary election.”

*Please note: the KDP is only directing the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. We cannot comment on the operations of any other elections but will work closely with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office as needed to educate our members about the voting procedures for following elections.

###

The Kansas Democratic Party’s priority moving forward is to ensure the health, safety and security of all Kansans. As we make decisions about future KDP programming, we will act with complete transparency and will update our members as quickly as possible through our website (www.kansasdems.org), social media channels (@KansasDems on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) and to the press as necessary. For more information on the 2020 Presidential Primary and the vote-by-mail process, please visit our website at www.kansasdems.org/2020Primary.