DuPage County voters turn out in big numbers as early voting begins

WHEATON – Nearly 3,000 DuPage County residents voted in person through four days of early voting, while almost 170,000 voters have submitted vote-by-mail ballot applications – four times the amount requested in the 2018 election.

A large line of voters gathered outside the DuPage County Fairgrounds before dawn Sept. 24-- the first day of early voting by paper ballot in DuPage County. A total of 660 voted Sept. 24, followed by 823 on Sept. 25, 362 on Sept. 26 (polls were only open in the morning) and 842 Sept. 28.

"The first day was something we had never seen before in DuPage County," DuPage County clerk Jean Kaczmarek said. "Typically it is very quiet and does not pick up until the last week or two of the election."

Kaczmarek said the DuPage County fairgrounds polling place remains busy, but the lines are moving faster now with an increased number of election judges.

"We've got it down now," Kaczmarek said. "The first day we had long lines."

Regular early voting by touch screen starts Oct. 19 at 18 locations throughout DuPage County.

"Typically, regular early voting doesn't get busy until the last few days. I would expect that to change this year," Kaczmarek said.

Regarding the wearing of masks or face coverings at polling locations, Kaczmarek said her office is following state guidelines from the governor and the Illinois Department of Health. Masks are available to voters who don't have them, she said.

"So far during early voting, we have only encountered voters who practice social distancing and face mask wearing without being told, and we greatly appreciate it," Kaczmarek said.

Kaczmarek said that 167,188 DuPage County voters had requested vote-by-mail ballots as of Sept. 28, "a number constantly changing." Vote-by-mail ballots were mailed out starting Sept. 24, and the county started receiving ballots back at the drop box at the county building in Wheaton on Sept. 28, she said.

DuPage County voters who requested vote-by-mail ballots can sign up for the online Ballot Trax, a ballot tracking service that provides notifications regarding the status of their ballots, by visiting https://votedupage.ballottrax.net/voter/.

"Everyone should do it who plans to vote by mail," Kaczmarek said. "It will tell them when their ballot has been accepted."

Kaczmarek said that when DuPage County receives vote-by-mail ballots, the first step is to verify signatures and sort the ballots. After that, any challenged ballots are set aside and voters are notified right away and given the opportunity to remedy the problem with the ballot.

After that, ballots are placed into secure storage until closer to Election Day. Ballots are scanned and recorded weeks before the election, but the county cannot tabulate votes until after 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, Election Day.

Ballots received prior to Nov. 3 will be included in the Election Day results, and ballots received Nov. 3 or later will be counted post-election once the postmark is verified, Kaczmarek said.

"The ballots that come in before Election Day will be counted that day," Kaczmarek said. "It's the one that come in afterward that could take up to two weeks to be counted."

Applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be received up until Oct. 29. Voters are encouraged to complete their ballots shortly after receiving them and drop them in the mail. No postage is necessary, but voters must sign the back of the ballot and the envelope must be sealed. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.