County Clerk: Frequently Asked Questions
If I applied for an absentee ballot, may I still vote in person?
May I use a cell phone in the polling place?
May I vote for a write-in candidate?
My next door neighbor is listed in a different precinct. Did I make a mistake?
What if I am incapacitated and unable to make it to the polling place?
What if I make a mistake on my ballot?
Voting Questions
If I applied for an absentee ballot, may I still vote in person?
You may vote in person if you never received the absentee ballot or the ballot was never received in this office. You will be required to complete and sign an affidavit in front of the Election Judges at your polling place. You may also present your absentee ballot or a portion of it to the Election Judges at your polling place for cancellation.
May I use a cell phone in the polling place?
Cellular telephones should not be brought into the polling place. Using a cellular telephone in the polling place may constitute electioneering.
May I vote for a write-in candidate?
Write-in votes will count only for candidates who have filed a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate by 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election.
Must I declare a party?
Illinois does not have a party registration system. You are only required to declare a party if you wish to vote on party nomination ballots during a primary.
My next door neighbor is listed in a different precinct. Did I make a mistake?
Your ballot may be different than your closest neighbor’s. Precinct boundaries and units of government do not necessarily coincide. Ballot styles are specific to those candidates and issues for which you are entitled to vote.
What if I am incapacitated and unable to make it to the polling place?
If you are incapacitated, you may vote by absentee ballot or request curbside voting on election day. Call the County Clerk's office at 672-6070 for more information.
What if I make a mistake on my ballot?
The new voting system allows a voter to change their vote multiple times. The equipment does not allow an overvote (an overvote is when a voter votes for more choices than allowed in a contest) and shows a summary screen to help alert a voter if they didn't vote in a particular contest. Because the new voting system is all electronic, missmarks or stray pencil marks will no longer be an issue.
What if I registered by mail?
If you registered by mail, you may vote by absentee if you provided sufficient ID with your registration. If sufficient ID was not provided, you will be required to vote in person the first time you vote and show ID with your current address.