FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 25, 2006
Cook County Clerk David Orr announced early voting sites for the November general election today.
This fall, many Illinois voters will be voting early for the first time—before the November 7 general election—without needing a reason or excuse to do so.
Registered voters in suburban Cook County can vote early from October 16 to November 2 at any one of 32 sites which are scattered across suburban Cook, as well as in downtown Chicago.
Early voting will be conducted on touch screens that store every ballot style in the county, permitting any voter in suburban Cook to vote at any location. Visually-impaired, Spanish and Chinese-speaking voters will also be able to vote easily on the touch screens. When early voting was first introduced for the March primary, it was conducted on optical scan ballots, and voters were restricted to one local site unless they cast a ballot downtown or in a courthouse. Approximately 16,000 people voted early for the March primary.
“Early voting on touch screens makes it easier for voters with busy schedules to cast a ballot,” said Cook County Clerk David Orr, who was the main proponent of early voting in Illinois. “Voters can cast their ballots where they work, play or run errands.”
“Early voting has become very popular and is now offered in more than 30 states,” Orr added. “Voters like the convenience. Extending Election Day gives them a better chance to participate in the democratic process.”
Early voters cast ballots at designated early voting sites. By law, individuals who vote early must display a government-issued photo identification (i.e., driver’s license, state identification card, passport).
In suburban Cook County, early voting sites include some village halls and the Cook County Clerk’s five suburban offices, located at suburban courthouses. The Clerk’s downtown Chicago office (69 W. Washington St.) will also conduct early voting. Hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, except at the Clerk’s offices. The Clerk’s downtown and suburban locations will offer early voting seven days a week. Weekend and holiday hours at the Clerk’s offices are 9 a.m. to noon.
Orr urged suburban voters who intend to vote early to check the voterinfonet website for their most convenient early voting location.
Unlike absentee voting, voters do not need to provide a reason or excuse to vote early. Absentee voting by mail will still be offered and requires voters to provide an acceptable reason under the law as to why they cannot make it to their polling place on Election Day. The courthouses and the downtown office will also conduct in-person absentee voting during the four days prior to the election—November 3 through November 6—to give people with last-minute conflicts the chance to cast a ballot.
Early votes are secured and will remain secret. They will be counted after the polls close on Election Day, November 7, and will be included in reported totals on election night.