Hey procrastinators, here’s your last-minute guide to voting in southwestern Illinois
Welcome to your last-minute guide to Tuesday’s election, which features hundreds of candidates running for municipal, school board and township positions across the metro-east.
If you’re getting a late start to researching your ballot, here are 11 questions you might be asking yourself:
How can I find out more about the candidates?
Check out the Belleville News-Democrat’s Voter Guide at bnd.com.
We reached out to nearly 300 candidates in contested races for city, village and school offices in Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties and asked them to complete a candidate questionnaire.
There are competitive races for mayor in 18 area cities, including Belleville, Lebanon, Edwardsville and Granite City. And there are contested board of education races in 17 area school districts.
Also, about 120 township candidates in contested races in Madison and St. Clair counties were invited to send us a link to their campaign website or social media page.
When are polls open?
Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
What are the COVID-19 guidelines at polling places?
Election officials and medical experts urge you to wear a mask and follow all other recommended precautions inside the polling station to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
You can expect to see metro-east election judges with face shields, masks, gloves and hand sanitizer for your safety and theirs.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends voters stay 6 feet away from other people. The CDC also advises voters to “take care when touching surfaces and wash your hands often or, if not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.”
If you don’t wear a mask, an election judge will direct you to a separate voting booth, St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook said.
Can I still mail in my ballot?
Yes, but it must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 6, and arrive within 14 days to be counted.
Holbrook recommends that since it is so close to the deadline, you should take your ballot to a post office to make sure it is time-stamped by April 6. You also can bring it to your local election authority office on Monday or Tuesday.
FYI: officials were not allowed to use outdoor drop-off boxes for this election.
Can I still vote early?
Yes, the early voting period at local election offices remains open on Monday.
Where can I go to drop off my mail ballot or vote early?
Here are some selected locations:
St. Clair County: Clerk’s office on the second floor of the County Building at 10 Public Square in Belleville.
Madison County: Clerk’s office at 157 N. Main St. in Edwardsville.
East St. Louis: East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners Office at 301 River Park Drive, Suite 300, in East St. Louis.
Monroe County: Clerk’s office at 100 S. Main St. in Waterloo.
Where can I get election results?
BND journalists will be covering voting during the day on Tuesday and reporting results after polls close.
Go to bnd.com on Tuesday night to get results from across the metro-east. We will update the results as we get them.
You can also help with coverage on Election Day by sharing your voting experience, questions and tips via email at Elections2021@bnd.com.
What about results for write-in candidates?
Several write-in candidates are running in races on Tuesday.
Holbrook said his employees will begin hand counting the write-ballots late Tuesday. He will release information about the write-in ballots as soon as possible if the number of write-in ballots appeared to affect the results of a race.
If I have a physical disability, how can I get help at my polling place?
You can go to the polling place with a companion who can help you complete a ballot if the person signs an affidavit.
What if I see something that concerns me at a polling place?
The Illinois State Board of Elections recommends that you speak with an election judge at the polling place. Also, in St. Clair County, you can call the county clerk’s office at 618-825-2366 to report a concern. You also can send an email to VoterIntegrity@co.st-clair.il.us.
What’s the weather forecast Tuesday?
Expect sunny skies and a high in the high 70s on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
