TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday urged local officials to consider using part of federal coronavirus assistance to pay for more drop-off boxes for mail-in ballots.
Kelly said during a Monday press conference that adding drop-off boxes would help keep Kansans safe from COVID-19 and relieve pressure on the postal service ahead of the November election.
The Kansas secretary of state’s office has offered each county up to two drop-off boxes where people can deposit their absentee ballots.
Kelly said she instructed her staff last week to send a letter to local government officials telling them that they can use a portion of federal coronavirus relief funds to add drop boxes.
The Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 1,564 new confirmed COVID-19 cases since Friday, an increase of 3.81%, to bring the total to 42,612. The department reported an additional three COVID-19-related deaths, to put the pandemic total at 446.
The three-day jump in reported coronavirus cases again gave Kansas its biggest seven-day spike in new cases since the pandemic reached the state in early March.
The average number of new cases for the seven days ending Monday was 602, or 0.5% higher than the previous peak of 599 for the seven days ending Friday.
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