New Voting Machines in Kane County

Kane County started using new electronic voting machines in 2006. If you would like to try an online demo of how the new voting machines work visit the following site and then click on the e-slate voting demo link at the top right:

KANE COUNTY:
http://www.kanecountyelections.org/

For MCHENRY COUNTY voting instructions:
http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/common/countyDpt/countyclerk/ElectionVInst.asp

Registering to Vote

To be eligible to vote in any election, you must be a registered voter in the county in which you reside.  If you have not moved and your name has not changed (divorce, marriage, etc.), you do not need to re-register before every election.  However, if your address has changed, if your name has changed, or if you have not voted in several years, you will need to re-register to vote.  Registering to vote is EASY and only takes a few minutes.

Registering to Vote by Mail

Many voter-oriented web sites offer registration applications that you can print out, fill out, and mail in.  Many sites also offer on line registration. 

Please note that if you register by mail or on line, you must vote in person the first time you vote so that your registration can be officially documented with proper I.D. and so that an official signature can be obtained.

Voter Registration Sites:

www.declareyourself.com
www.yourvotematters.org

Registering to Vote in Person
You may register to vote at a variety of locations, including:

• The office of any District 300 school during business hours
• Your County Clerk's office
• The Department of Motor Vehicles
• Most public libraries
• Some municipalities

Please call ahead to make sure a registrar is on duty.

When registering to vote, you must bring two forms of I.D. and one must verify your current address.  The following are acceptable forms of I.D.:

When you register to vote, you will receive a receipt, which is the back carbon copy of your registration form.  DO NOT THROW THIS RECEPT AWAY!  This receipt is your temporary voter card until your official voter card arrives in the mail.

Voting Links

For more information on voter registration:

Kane County: http://www.kanecountyelections.org/VoterRegistration/registration.htm

McHenry Country: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/CountyDpt/countyclerk/CtyClkVReg.asp

To request an absentee ballot:

Kane County: http://www.kanecountyelections.org/absentee/absvoting.htm

McHenry County: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/CountyDpt/countyclerk/PressRelease/CtyClkAbsentee.asp

Other resources

League of Women Voters of Illinois: www.lwvil.org
Young voters: www.declareyourself.com

Where Do I Vote?

To find out where you vote in Kane County:

 http://www.kanecountyelections.org/VoterInformation/VoterInfo.asp

To find out where you vote in McHenry County:

 http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/soe/precinctfinder.aspx

Note that the Kane County page above is a little picky about how you enter your address. We have not found all the problems, but if you get a "No Voters Found" message, try a variation of your address. For example, we have found that you must enter "Dundee" without the East or West. Instead of "Lane", "Drive", "Street" or "Avenue" in your address, try "Ln", "Dr", "St", "Ave" or "Av".

If you still have problems, you can contact us at . Give us your address, town, and zip and we will find your polling place for you.

Keep in mind that some polling places change, so you should reverify the location a few weeks before the election.

You can also call the County Clerk's office to find out where you vote:

McHenry County Clerk's office:  815-334-4242
Kane County Clerk's office:  630- 232-5990

When is Election Day?
Election Day is Tuesday, April 17, 2007.  Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

I will be out of town that day.  Can I vote before that date?
Yes.  You can obtain an absentee ballot and vote (date and times to be published).

How do I obtain an absentee ballot and how do I qualify?
Absentee voting is EASY and is strongly urged for anyone who travels for their job or who has very young children at home.  Registered voters are eligible to cast an absentee ballot from your county if your are expecting to be absent from the county, away at college, serving as an election judge, serving on jury duty, physically incapacitated or hospitalized, or a member of the Armed Forces or Merchant Marines.  People who have registered to vote by mail and will be voting for the first time are NOT eligible to vote absentee by mail, but they can vote absentee in person at their county clerk's office or at another proper election authority.

You may vote absentee in person at your county clerk's office or at one of many municipal offices in your county.  You may also apply for an absentee ballot by mail or by calling your county clerk.

Kane County: 630-232-5990                               
McHenry County: 815-334-4242

On Election Day, what time are the polls open?  Do I need to bring my voter card with me?
On Election Day, the polls are open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.  If you  have your voter card, bring it.  If you don't have a voter card, but still have the green receipt that proves you registered to vote, bring it.  If you have neither, but are a registered voter, bring a photo I.D.  If you arrive and are not listed on the rolls as a registered voter, insist on casting a "provisional ballot."  This is a temporary ballot and is not counted until the county clerk's office verifies whether or not you are indeed a properly registered voter.

What if I accidentally show up at the wrong voting location?  Can I vote there?
No.  If you arrive to vote at the wrong location, ask an election official to see the township map, which is legally required to be posted at every polling place.  You could find where you live on that map and match the precinct number with your proper polling place.  You could also call the county clerk's office and give them your address and they could tell you where you vote.  If you don't have a phone with you, election officials are required to have one phone at every polling place and they must make that phone available to you if you ask.

I will be voting for the first time.  Can I vote absentee?
Only people who registered to vote on line must vote in person their first time so that an official signature can be obtained by election judges.  If you registered to vote on-line, you can vote absentee at your county clerk's office or at any other official voting location in your municipality.  If you registered to vote anywhere else and you put your signature on the registration application, you may vote absentee in any election.  If you are not sure if your signature is on file, call your county clerk to find out.