Don’t wait to register to vote November 6

Unregistered Illinois residents have about four weeks to register to vote in the Nov. 6 election.

Kay Shipman

Published: Sep 7, 2012

Unregistered Illinois residents have about four weeks to register to vote in the Nov. 6 election. However, the legislative liaison with State Board of Elections advised people to take action now.

“We greatly encourage people to vote,” Cris Cray told FarmWeek. And, of course, in order to vote, residents need to be registered.

Voter turnout traditionally is higher in a general election than in a primary election. And election officials anticipate an even larger turnout this fall given the presidential election, Cray noted.

Illinois residents can check to see if they are registered either by contacting a local election authority or by going online to {www.ilfb.org/vote} and clicking “Register to Vote” or “Where to Register” box in the middle of the page.

That will take you to the Illinois State Board of Elections page. There you can find your local election authority or click on “Am I registered to vote” bar and enter your first and last names and ZIP code.

The information that surfaces will include the voter’s polling place and the districts in which the voter will be voting.

Those not registered to vote have until Oct. 9 to complete standard voter registration. A voter registration form may be downloaded from {www.elections.il.gov} and must be completed and postmarked by Oct. 9.

Voter registration may be completed at a local election authority office. Voters also may contact those authorities with questions about their current legislative districts.

Cray added individuals doing business, such as renewing a driver’s license, at a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office also may register to vote; however, that registration option will be offered only as part of regular DMV business.

Voters unable to register by Oct. 9 may register from Oct. 10 through Nov. 3 during grace-period registration at a local election authority office. Those individuals would register to vote and then proceed to vote at that time.

As for the nation’s top candidates, the State Board of Elections must wait until it receives the nominees’ official paperwork from their respective political parties before they are listed as candidates, Cray explained.

“Most people want to know who the candidates are,” she said, adding the board of elections has received questions about the lack of presidential candidates posted online.

State election officials only recently received “official” information about the presidential and vice presidential nominees from the Republican party.

Cray didn’t expect to receive the Democrats’ official presidential and vice presidential nominees until this week after the convention, she added.

Permalink: Click here

Comments

Read comments from others and share your own thoughts.

Please provide the answer to the following question:

=

Search this site:

Read More Stories

Immigration: The conversation

Immigration reforms raise many questions. Get some answers here.

Read this story


Ag groups seek to knock down EU barriers

A broad collection of U.S. farm interests have urged the nation's likely next top trade official to leave nothing off the table in talks with the European Union (EU).

Read this story


Federal aid approved for 14 more counties

Disaster aid also sought for local governments.

Read this story

Senate agrees to crop insurance limits

Federal aid approved for 14 more counties

Farmland prices moderate after incredible run

Ag groups seek to knock down EU barriers

Can U.S. diesel use power up without credit?

Rainy week ahead for Illinois farmers

Illinois farmers catch up on corn planting

Cash soybean basis levels fall for third day

FarmWeek for May 6

Wet weekend forecast for Illinois

Top 50 Tags