Election 2026
2026 is a midterm election year on the federal level, with this fall's contests deciding which party will control Congress. But it's turning out to be a critical year for the Kansas City region as well.
In Kansas and Missouri, voters will decide races for U.S. Senate, every U.S. House seat, governor and more. Critical constitutional amendments will appear on the ballots in both states. And around Kansas City, voters will decide a number of important bond issues and more.
General Election Day is on Nov. 3, 2026.
No matter which state you're voting from, KCUR wants to make sure you have all the information you need before you fill out your ballot.
Over the year, we'll be providing guides and resources for the 2026 election — plus interviews with candidates and spotlights on individual races.
All of the content below — and everything on our website — is available for free, always, no paywall or login needed. But if you want to support our journalism, you can become a member of KCUR here.
Voter tips
- Before you head to the polls, make sure you’re registered to vote. Voter registration deadlines have passed in both states, but you should double check your voter status in Missouri and in Kansas.
- Speaking of polling places, here’s where to find your voting location in Missouri and Kansas. Take note: Your polling place may have changed since the last time you voted.
- Both Kansas and Missouri require photo ID to vote, and the accepted forms of identification differ in each state. If you don’t bring proper ID, you’ll have to cast a provisional ballot.
- Want to know who represents you in the legislature? Look up your representatives in in Kansas and in Missouri.
Dates & deadlines
Missouri voter registration deadline for primary:July 8, 2026Kansas voter registration deadline for primary:July 14, 2026Advance voting begins in Kansas:July 15, 2026Primary election day:Aug. 4, 2026- Missouri voter registration deadline for general: Oct. 7, 2026
- Kansas voter registration deadline for general: Oct. 13, 2026
- Advance voting begins in Kansas: Oct. 14, 2026
- Advance voting begins in Missouri: Oct. 20, 2026
- General election day: Nov. 3, 2026
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Missouri polling places are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 4. See results as they come in for U.S. House primary contests and constitutional amendment questions. -
Kansas polling places are open from at least 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 4. See results as they come in for Kansas statewide offices, U.S. Senate and U.S. House primary contests and a constitutional amendment question. -
Republican Thomas Ross allegedly asked his former campaign manager to place cocaine and Adderall in Louise Secker's purse or car, according to the FBI. Ross narrowly won the GOP nomination for the Joplin-area 161st House District last month. -
The statewide television and radio spot was developed with help from an anti-abortion medical group and will air through Sept. 30. It references a recent judge's ruling that struck down dozens of challenged abortion regulations as unconstitutional. -
First District voters recalled a City Council member for the first time in Independence's history after he voted to approve a multibillion-dollar data center. A special election to fill the vacancy will need to be scheduled. -
The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on a trio of cases on referendums, including whether residents can vote on a congressional map. If it allows the measure to move forward for November, it could put in jeopardy Republicans’ plan to push out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II. -
Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach runs in a rematch against Democrat Chris Mann, a race that the incumbent won by a slim margin four years ago. -
The Republican senator, who's running for reelection this November, rationalized the president’s move to import beef from foreign countries, arguing that it's necessary to replace the Mexican cattle exports lost to screwworm infections. -
In November, Missourians will be asked whether they want to repeal the abortion rights amendment they approved in 2024 and reinstate an abortion ban. Unions and reproductive rights groups already worked together to defeat Amendments 4 and 5 in the August election. -
Kansas will vote on a constitutional amendment that says only U.S. citizens may vote in any election — something that's already law.
