Learn more about how you can vote before Election Day 2020 in southwestern Illinois
Election authorities expect the number of voters who cast their ballots by mail to double this election season, but it’s still possible to vote in person either early or on Election Day.
Here’s everything you need to know about voting in-person early in Illinois.
When does early, in-person voting start?
You can start voting in-person early on Thursday, Sept. 24.
When does early in-person voting end?
Early voting ends on Monday, Nov. 2.
How can I vote early in-person?
Any registered voter may vote prior to Nov. 3 — Election Day — at any early voting site established by their election authority. You don’t need to provide a reason to vote early.
Each election authority statewide determines early voting locations. They can be permanent polling places open from Sept. 24 through Nov. 2, or they can be temporary, which means they’re only open on certain days or a single day.
Early voting locations are often in a public building such as a clerk, township, road district, county or other public agency office. The bigger a county’s population, the more polling places there are.
Within your voting jurisdiction, you can vote early at any site, regardless of your precinct.
Where can I vote early?
You can search for your voting jurisdictions early voting locations at the Illinois State Board of Elections website at https://bit.ly/2FRiPV9, but here is a link to a list of places by county in southwestern Illinois where you can vote early. You can also access the list by including this url in your address bar: https://bit.ly/2G6i0HW.
What COVID 19 precautions are in place at the voting sites?
This year, the Illinois Department of Public Health required every local election authority to submit a COVID-19 prevention plan for every polling place in its jurisdiction.
Masks or face coverings are required in public places statewide in Illinois where 6 feet of distance can’t be maintained, including at polling places. In some polling places, masks will be provided to voters who don’t have one.
Election authorities have stocked up on hand sanitizer, cleaning products, masks and even “I voted” pens to send away with voters to avoid repeated touching.
At minimum, IDPH requires the following COVID-19 precautions for Election Day 2020 polling places:
- Cleaning and disinfection protocols
- Configuration for physical distancing, supplemented by traffic flow guidelines and placement of physical barriers where distancing is not possible
- Behaviors required of workers: self-monitoring to make sure they do not have symptoms of COVID-19, wearing face coverings and physical distancing
- Ensure compliance with requirements for social distancing, wearing a face covering and disinfecting all affected surfaces during the entire polling process
When will my vote be counted?
Votes cast during early voting are not counted until after the polls close on Election Day, which is Nov. 3.
I don’t know if I am registered and eligible to vote. How can I check?
You can check to see if you’re registered to vote at the Illinois State Board of Elections website at https://bit.ly/3iSmC2P or by calling your local county clerk or election authority.
To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day and a resident of the precinct for at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
How do I register to vote in Illinois?
You can register to vote online in Illinois at ova.elections.il.gov until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18. To register to vote online, you must provide your full Illinois driver’s license or state identification card number, the last four digits of your social security number and the date the driver’s license or state identification card was issued.
You may also register to vote by mailing an application to your local election office, but it must be postmarked prior the end of the online registration period. You can find the application to mail in at https://bit.ly/33KvDVe.
If you miss the online registration deadline, you can still vote. Grace period registration allows voters to register in-person at the election authority’s office, a permanent polling place or at any other early voting site beginning 15 days prior to Election Day. At some polling places, you can register to vote on Election Day. You must provide two forms of identification when registering during the grace period.
The following forms of identification are accepted: a current and valid photo identification, a utility bill, a bank statement, a government check, a paycheck, a lease or contract for residence, student identification and mailed addressed to voter’s residence, or a government document. The form of identification must show your full name and address.
If you don’t have the required form of identification when you vote, you may cast a provisional ballot.
What are my other options if I don’t want to vote early in person?
If you want to avoid voting in-person, you can vote by mail in Illinois, but you have to submit an application first in order to receive a ballot.
Anyone who voted in 2018, 2019 or 2020 should have automatically received a vote-by-mail application through the postal service or email. Voters should apply for a ballot by Oct. 19 if they want to vote by mail, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has said, citing state election leaders.
On Sept. 24, election authorities will begin mailing ballots to those who applied and were approved for one. If your application was approved prior to Sept. 24, it should take a week or less for the ballot to arrive. If the ballot hasn’t arrived by Oct. 6, you should check with your local election authority.
Once received, you should promptly fill out and return your ballot, either by mail, to a drop box or to their election authority’s office. The absolute latest you should mail your ballots is Oct. 27, according to Durbin.
You can find a list of dropboxes in your area at https://bit.ly/33UnRIi.
If you received a vote-by-mail ballot but decide to vote in person, you can do that. You will have to bring your mail-in ballot with you and give it to election judges because your name will not be on the books at the polling place. Once you hand over your mail-in ballot, you will be asked to sign a poll book and you may then vote.
What’s on the ballot this year?
Information on candidates in contested elections is available at the Belleville News-Democrat’s Illinois Voter Guide. Here is the url: https://bit.ly/3iRJak9
Voters will also decide whether to approve a progressive income tax amendment, also known as the “fair tax.” The state constitution mandates a flat income tax, but a central part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s agenda has been to switch to a progressive system.
If approved, the change would increase taxes on those who earn $250,000 or more annually. It would maintain the tax rate for those earning between $100,000 and $250,000, and reduce the rate for those earning less than $100,000.
Three-fifths of voters, or at least a simple majority, on Nov. 3 need to approve the amendment for a constitutional change.
In the metro-east, two state House of Representative races are expected to be close. Monica Bristow, a first-term Democrat from Alton representing the 111th District, will face Amy Elik, an accountant from Fosterburg. Bristow won her seat in 2016 by just one percentage point. In the 116th District, Republicans say incumbent Nathan Reitz faces a serious challenge in his GOP opponent, David Friess of Red Bud.
The race between incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and two-time challenger Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in the 13th Congressional District is also expect to be close. The mostly central Illinois district includes portions of the Edwardsville area.
Elsewhere in southwestern Illinois elections, the race for Madison County Board chairman has heated up between incumbent Kurt Prenzler, R-Edwardsville, and former Madison County regional superintendent of schools Bob Daiber.
Former Madison County Board member Lisa Ciampoli is challenging incumbent state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, for the 112th District.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
