With a council-manager form of government, Wichita’s voters elect a seven-member city council to act as the city’s legislative and policy-making body. The council is composed of the mayor, elected at-large by the voters, and six representatives elected from each of the city’s six geographical districts. The council selects a professionally trained city manager who carries out the programs and policies adopted by the council.
Wichita City Government
.
Sedgwick County Government
Encompassing an area of 1,008 square miles, Sedgwick County is the second most populous of the state’s 105 counties and is home to a number of industries, the most noted of which are aviation-related and have earned its largest city, Wichita, the title of “Air Capital of the World.”
As the county seat, the Sedgwick County Courthouse is headquarters for the District Attorney and the Sheriff’s Department, the county clerk, emergency medical services, register of deeds and other county services.
Kansas State Government
- State of Kansas – The official website of the State of Kansas
- Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
Kansas Drivers License
Residents new to Kansas have 90 days to transfer their drivers licenses to the state of Kansas. Kansas Driver’s Licenses are issued through the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Drivers License Stations are opened Tuesday through Friday. The offices open at 7:00 a.m. CDL testing is done until 4:00 p.m. All other testing is done until 5:00 p.m. For renewals and making address or name changes, the office remains open until 5:30 p.m. Address changes may also be made on-line through the Department of Revenue’s Web site.
For more information on obtaining a Kansas Driver’s License please visit the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Web site.
Federal Government
Wichita is the largest city in the state and offices are maintained here by both United States senators and the Fourth District’s U.S. Representative. The federal courts and many federal agencies are also located in Wichita.
A Little History about Kansas
At one time known as the most Republican state in the nation, Kansas now has a sizable Democratic minority, and a small Libertarian contingent. In 1861, the first legislature gave women the right to vote in school elections and in 1887, women’s suffrage was extended to city and bond elections. Universal suffrage was granted in 1912.
Kansas was the first state, in 1880, to adopt the constitutional prohibition of alcoholic beverages which was the law of the land until it’s repeal in 1948. In 1986, a constitutional amendment permitting the sale of liquor by the drink in establishments that do at least 30 percent of their business in food sales was passed. Parimutuel wagering and a state lottery were approved at the same time.
To be eligible to vote in Sedgwick County, you must be registered to vote, a United States citizen, at least 18 years old and a resident of your voting precinct and of the State of Kansas at least 14 days before an election. If you are new to the area or have changed your name or residence, you will need to register to vote. If you have not voted in two successive general elections, you must re-register.