May 20, 2024
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Early voting expanding in McHenry County

Ten new locations, plus county clerk’s office, give voters a place to cast ballots

By Claire O'Brien
Voting machines are set up on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, inside the McHenry County Administration Building in Woodstock. Early voting starts on Feb. 23 for the April 4 consolidated election.

Voting machines are set up on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, inside the McHenry County Administration Building in Woodstock. Early voting expands March 4 ahead of the March 19 primary. (Gregory Shaver for Shaw Media )

McHenry County voters who wish to vote early in the March 19 primary but don’t wish to drive to the McHenry County Clerk’s Office in Woodstock will have more options starting Monday.

Ten new voting centers will open Monday:

  • McHenry Township Office, 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg. There is a drop box inside the voting room.
  • Algonquin Township Building 6B, 3702 U.S. Route 14, Crystal Lake, Garage entrance. There is a drop box inside the voting room.
  • McHenry City Hall, 333 S. Green St., McHenry, City Council entrance. There is a drop box inside the voting room.
  • Lake in the Hills Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, main entrance. There is a drop box inside the voting room.
  • Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road, Crystal Lake.
  • Huntley Park District, 12015 Mill St., Huntley, south entrance.
  • Cary Area Library, 1606 Three Oaks Road, Cary, main entrance.
  • Algonquin Library, 2600 Harnish Drive, Algonquin, main entrance.
  • Dunham Township Office, 107 Airport Road, Harvard, main entrance.
  • Marengo City Hall, 132 E. Prairie St. Marengo, rear entrance only.

All of those locations, plus the county clerk’s office at 2200 N. Seminary Ave, will be open for voting from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday this week, March 4 through March 8.

The County Building, McHenry Township office, Algonquin Township building, McHenry City Hall, Lake in the Hills Village Hall and Nunda Township office will be open for voting from 8:30 a.m. to noon March 9, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 11 through 15 and March 18, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. March 16 and 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. March 17.

Huntley Park District, Cary Area Library and Algonquin Library will be open for voting from 8:30 to noon March 9, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 11 through 15 and 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. March 16.

Dunham Township office and Marengo City Hall will be open for voting from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 11 through 15 and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 16.

Voters may cast a ballot at any early voting location, regardless of where they live. On Election Day, they’ll have to go to their local polling place or the county clerk’s office.

A voter who wants to vote from the privacy of their own home can still request a mail ballot through March 14 by filling out the form here and then email it, mail it or hand it in in-person, and a voter with a mail ballot who wants to vote in-person can turn in their mail ballot at the polls.

Voters with mail ballots have until Election Day to get their ballots turned in. Voters can hand in the ballot at the polling places or the dropbox at the McHenry County Administration Building, or they can send it in the mail with the caveat that it has to be postmarked by Election Day.

The Illinois online voter registration system will close at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, but voters can always register at the polls.

Sample ballots are listed online. An address-specific ballot can be found here, and one with all the races can be found here.

Voters can pull a Democratic, Republican or nonpartisan ballot. Nonpartisan ballots will not have candidates, only referendums such as the McHenry County Mental Health Board sales tax question.