October 2026

Note from Commissioner Baty:

The views expressed by Commissioner Ryan Baty in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the governing body of the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners or Sedgwick County Government.

Gearing up for the General Election

Election Day is just around the corner for the 2026 General Election. Be prepared by checking your polling location and more voting information at the Sedgwick County Election Office website.

Reminder: There is no longer voting at the Sedgwick County Historic Courthouse due to the Election Office's relocations.

Here are the important dates remaining for the General election:

Saturday, Oct. 31 - Final day of early voting at satellite locations

Monday, Nov. 2 - Final day of early voting at Sedgwick County Election Office

Tuesday, Nov. 3 - 2026 General Election (polls open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 12 - Opening meeting of the canvass board

Monday, Nov. 16 - Final meeting of the canvass board to certify the election

Tuesday, Nov. 17 - Public post-test of tabulation equipment

Supporting those impacted by incident at Stryker

Our hearts are heavy following the incident at Stryker Sports Complex on Oct. 17.

We want to remind you: It's OK to not be OK.

Following a tragedy. children may be struggling with their emotions or are unsure how to express what they're feeling. As parents or caregivers, it's important to support them through this difficult and scary time.

Here are some tips from Sedgwick County COMCARE for talking through tragic situations with children and youth:

• Create a safe space. Let them know it's OK to feel upset, scared or confused.
• Encourage them to express their feelings and listen actively, without judgement.
• Keep their routines. This helps provide a sense of stability and security. 
• Validate their feelings. Let them know their emotions are normal and understandable given the situation.
• Try to remain calm and composed. Children tend to look to adults for emotional cues. 
• Encourage expression. Children show how they are feeling through play. Art, playtime and writing can help children process their emotions if they have trouble expressing them verbally.

Remember, it is also important to take care of yourself. If you or a loved one is having a hard time, support is always available 24/7:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 is available by call or text 24/7 for anyone in need
• COMCARE Community Crisis Center is open 24/7, both in person and via phone at 660-7500
• Call COMCARE's 24-hour crisis hotline: 316-660-7500
• The Disaster Distress Helpline, provided by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, can be reached at 800-985-5990

Never miss a City, County or School District meeting again!

It's now easier than EVER to stay connected in your community and engage with local leaders. We have created a place that provides access to all available meetings for municipalities and school districts in Sedgwick County. It includes the meeting frequency, days and times, and links to the site if the meeting is streamed. Click Sedgwick County meetings to check it out!

Make your Halloween full of treats, not tricks

Halloween is right around the corner, and we want to make sure your evening is full of all treats and no tricks! Follow these tips from some of Sedgwick County's first responders to ensure you have a safe and fang-tastic time.

More tag appointments available to Sedgwick County

Beginning Nov. 2, Sedgwick County Treasurer Brandi Baily is adding an additional station to the satellite tag office at the Derby Public Library, 160 E. Walnut Grove Rd. This move will increase the number of appointments available for all title and tag services.

Appointments can be made immediately beginning by visiting Sedgwick County Treasurer | Tag Office. The location is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m-5 p.m.

In addition to the Douglas Tag Office at 2525 W. Douglas Ave., Sedgwick County residents can complete their tag business at multiple satellite locations:

• Haysville City Hall – 200 W. Grand Ave.
• Lubbers Chevrolet Cheney – 914 N. Main St.
• Mel Hambelton Ford – 11771 W. Kellogg Dr.
• Park City City Hall – 1941 E. 61st St. N.
• Rusty Eck Ford in Wichita – 7310 E. Kellogg Dr.
• Sedgwick County Treasurer’s Office at the Ruffin Building – 100 N. Broadway Ave., Ste. 100
• Walser BMW — 11000 E. 13th St. N.
• Wichita West Kansas Driver Licensing – 610 S. Tyler Rd.

Baily continues to explore potential sites for further expansion across Sedgwick County to conveniently serve community members.

Don't forget that you can complete transactions in person, online, by mail or by using the drop box at the Douglas Tag Office. A full list of required documents and instructions about how to make an appointment are available online at Sedgwick County Treasurer | Tag Office.

Positive growth in at-risk youth

Fourteen Sedgwick County youth were recognized for their commitment toward living a positive and crime-free lifestyle. In front of friends, family and Sedgwick County Department of Corrections staff, these youth graduated from the Evening Reporting Center (ERC). The program is administered by Juvenile Field Services and serves as a resource and step for system-involved and at-risk youth. Congratulations to the graduates on their pledge to make better choices while forming healthy, lasting habits.

SCFD1 makes homes safer in Sedgwick County

Sedgwick County Fire District 1 installed 175 smoke alarms, 2 bed shakers and replaced 16 batteries, making 152 homes safer while giving comfort and peace of mind to 415 residents in Oaklawn during its Sound the Alarm event as part of Fire Prevention Week.

SCFD1 is always here for you. If you live in the fire district and need a smoke alarm, you can request one here.

Drought Disaster Loans

Have you been negatively impacted by the ongoing drought? If so, you may be eligible for a Drought Disaster Loan from the Small Business Administration. This is a working capital loan designed to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. Applications are open now and available until March 10, 2027. Apply today by using this link.

Protect yourself some fraud with the Register of Deeds

Protect your home for free by enrolling in the Sedgwick County Register of Deeds Property Fraud Alert Program. As property fraud is on the rise in America this free service helps protect you from it by sending an alert each time a document is recorded in the Sedgwick County Register of Deeds office that may match your name.

As cases of mortgage and document fraud involving stolen notary credentials are on the rise, Sedgwick County is excited to utilize Notary Fraud Alert. The system allows notaries to monitor their name and commission number in the county’s official land records and get notified if any potentially fraudulent recordings under their information appear.

Out and about with the commissioners

Enjoyed a discussion on all things Sedgwick County at the Wichita Business Journal’s ICT Summit. Thanks for the invitation!

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Wichita for allowing me to emcee a great panel discussion on the foster care crisis.  

Always honored to serve as Emcee of the LegacyWorks ICT annual Build a Legacy Event.

Thank you for standing in the gap for our young people!

One of my favorite events of the year — the Sedgwick County Employee Recognition Ceremony! I enjoy the opportunity to honor our 2,800-plus employees for their dedication and service to our community. I’m proud of this organization and our people.

Contact Commissioner Ryan Baty

316-660-9300

Ryan.Baty@sedgwick.gov 100 N. Broadway, Ste. 660, Wichita, KS 67202