Overview
- A longtime voter, Tessa Von Fange began active labor while filling out an early ballot at the Shawnee County Elections Office on Monday and completed voting despite contractions about five minutes apart.
- An election worker who has emergency medical training brought her a ballot, stayed nearby in case she needed help, and was later authorized by Von Fange to feed the ballot into the tabulator.
- After voting she received an 'I voted' sticker and a 'Future Voter' sticker, left for the hospital, and gave birth to her daughter Morgan at 1:16 a.m. Tuesday, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce.
- Local election officials and staff described the episode as a joyful example of voter determination and workplace readiness rather than an election-procedure issue.
- The incident highlights how on-site assistance and trained poll workers can help voters with urgent needs and has been picked up by national outlets as a human-interest story.