Want to vote by mail? Here’s how

The campaign season already is here and partisan ads for the June 28 primary are dominating local broadcasts. As of March 30, voters could begin applying to use the mail to cast their ballots.

All requests for a mail-in ballot must be received by June 23.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, voting by mail and early voting grew rapidly.

Anyone who is registered to vote can apply for a mail-in ballot. At one time, voters had to provide a reason for wanting to vote by mail, but that requirement was dropped in 2009.

Voting by mail begins May 19. Ballots must be postmarked by June 28. Ballots also can be turned in at any drop-off site in your area up to when the polls close on Election Day.

If you apply now, you can expect to receive your mail-in ballot by late May. If you have not received your ballot by then, call your local election board to check on the status of your application.

If you are not sure whether you are registered or if you want to know who your local election board is, go to https://ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup.aspx.

Later this summer, you also can sign up to have your mail-in ballot automatically sent to your home for every upcoming primary and general election. You can get the application beginning Aug. 10 from your county’s election website.

Info on voting by mail in your county

• Cook County: cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-by-mail
• DuPage County: dupagecounty.gov/Election/VoteByMail/
• Kane County: kanecountyclerk.org/Elections/Pages/Vote-by-Mail.aspx
• Lake County: lakecountyil.gov/351/Voter-Power-for-Registered-Voters
• McHenry County: bit.ly/McHenryCountyVoteByMail
• Will County: willcountyclerk.gov/elections/vote-by-mail/

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220331/want-to-vote-by-mail-heres-how