DeleteTuesday could mark one of the last times voters in Kansas have a regular spring election.  Simply by showing up and voting, you can become part of history.
Sub SB171, otherwise known as the “Help Kansas Vote Act” sponsored by Senator Mitch Holmes, passed the senate and has gone onto the house, where it has been recommended to be passed by the Committee on Elections.  From there, the governor will likely sign off on it.  A governor elected by more than 50 percent of those who showed up to vote at a November election.
But only about a third of those eligible to vote took the time out of their day to either go and vote or request, fill out and send in an advance ballot.  That means Brownback and others were actively picked by only 15 percent of the voters.  
Beverly Komarek, a member of the Great Bend chapter of the League of Women Voters, has often said, “If you don’t vote, it means my vote is worth twice as much.”  Or more.  
While the Help Kansas Vote Act has been controversial, with many city councils and school boards in opposition to eliminating the spring elections, its not all bad.  For instance, one of the provisions of the bill increases the number of 16 and 17 -year-olds that can serve on the local election board from one to one third of the membership.  The hope is to create a voting culture in Kansas, Holmes said.  
My daughter will vote for the first time Tuesday.  In part, that is thanks to a teacher who provided her with a voter application on her 18th birthday.  Its acts of encouragement like these that could turn the tide, more so than a date on a calendar, towards increasing the number of eligible voters that go to the polls.

—Veronica Coons