Kansas polls open for primary

SHIFTING GEARS FROMMISSOURI TO KANSASPOLLS WILL OPEN UP INUNDER AN HOUR.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER DAN COHENJOINS US LIVE-- WITH HOWCOUNTIES NEAR US HAVEPREPARED FOR TODAY.THE JOHNSON COUNTYARTS AND HERITAGECENTER IS ONE OF THEMANY POLLING PLACES INTHE COUNTY WHEREVOTERS WILL CAST THEIRBALLOTS IN-PERSON, BUTTHERE'S BEEN A MAJORWAVE OF MAIL-IN BALLOTSAS WELL.JOHNSON COUNTY HASSEEN A RECORD NUMBEROF VOTERS MAIL IN THEIRBALLOTS AS APRECAUTION DURING THEPANDEMIC - COUNTYOFFICIALS TELL US IT'S ACOMPLETE REVERSALFROM ELECTIONS PAST, ASTHEY'RE MEETING THEIRVOTERS ON THE FRONTEND OF THE PROCESS.Right now as of today, wehave about 70,000 advanceby mail that have beenreturned.

We've issued over106,000 so that's a pretgood return rate and morecoming in everyday.

We'reguessing we'll get up80,000 back.

We voted about15,000 in person.

That's alarge number of our voterswho have checked in and casttheir ballot.WYANDOTTE COUNTY ISSEEING A SIMILAR TREND -THEIR ELECTIONCOMMISSIONER TOLD METHEY MAILED OUT MORETHAN 11,000 BALLOTS,WITH MORE THAN 8,000RETURNED, A RECORDPACE FOR THE COUNTY.JOHNSON IS IN A SIMILARRECORD-BREAKINGPOSITION AHEAD OFTODAY'S PRIMARY.

TAYLORAND LINDSAY?WHAT ARE THE SAFETPRECAUTIONS IN PLACEFOR IN-PERSON VOTINGTODAY?BOTH JOHNSON ANDWYANDOTTE COUNTYELECTIONCOMMISSIONERS TELL METHEY HAVE NUMEROUSPROCEDURES IN PLACE -MASKS, PLEXIGLASSSEPARATORS, SIX FOOTFLOOR MARKERS.

BOTHCOUNTIES SAY THEY HAVEPLENTY OF VOLUNTEERSAND JUDGES IN PLACE,BUT THEY DO SKEWOLDER, AND ARESTRONGLY ENCOURAGINGIN PERSON VOTERS TOWEAR THEIR MASKS TOKEEP EVERYONE SAFE