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DeKalb County to launch early voting Sept. 27

September 26, 2012

Photo of VOTE buttonBeginning  Thursday, Sept. 27, any eligible DeKalb County voter is able to vote in person or by mail for the Nov. 6 general election.

Voting by mail is officially called “Absentee Voting.” Election law in Illinois has changed to allow for both voting by mail and voting in person for absentee voting.

Voters should also be aware that all absentee ballot voting is “No Excuse” voting, meaning that voters need not provide a reason for voting prior to Election Day.

The official deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 9. “Grace Period Voting” takes place from Wednesday, Oct. 10, through Saturday, Nov. 3, when non-registered voters can register and then must vote at the same time.

To vote absentee by mail:

  • Complete the online “Application for an Absentee Ballot” or call (815) 895-7147.
  • Return the application as soon as possible to ensure you receive your actual ballot with an appropriate amount of time to ensure its return to our offices.
  • The application, if submitting by mail, should be sent to: DeKalb County Elections, ATTN: Absentee Ballot Application, 110 E. Sycamore St., Sycamore, IL, 60178.

When your application is received, you will be sent a ballot to the mailing address you specify on your application.

Any person wishing to apply to vote absentee by mail must submit an application to the DeKalb County Clerk’s Office no later than Thursday, Nov. 1.

Ballots must be returned to the DeKalb County Clerk’s Office by Tuesday, Nov. 6, for the ballot to be counted. If returning by mail, it must be postmarked by midnight Monday, Nov. 5. A return envelope is provided with the ballot.

To vote in person:

Voting in person during this period is considered “Absentee In-Person.” Again, there is no excuse needed by the voter to vote during this period.

Those interested in voting in person during this period must visiting the Liberty Room of the  DeKalb County Legislative Center, 200 N. Main St. in Sycamore. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Providing a valid photo ID when voting in person will expedite processing. Anyone who wants to vote in person before Election Day can do so until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5.

Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 22, with locations at NIU, Sandwich and Kirkland. More details are forthcoming.

For more information, call (815) 895-7149 or email jacardo@dekalbcounty.org.