Start Now to Make Sure Your Vote Will Count in November

With Labor Day behind us, it’s time to focus in earnest on the November 8th Election.
First item on your to-do list? Make sure you’re registered to vote at your current address.
Second item on your to-do list? Make sure to vote!
The best way to make sure to vote? Request a vote-by-mail-ballot. Then, whether you can get to a polling place or not once in-person voting begins, you can make sure your vote will count.

Here are  answers to some questions you may have:

How do I request a vote-by-mail ballot?

Go online to the Lake County Clerk’s website, follow the sign-in instructions, and click the button to request a vote-by-mail ballot. It takes less than five minutes to click through the form and submit the request.

When will I receive my vote-by-mail ballot?

Starting on September 29, 2022, the County Clerk will mail ballots to all registered voters who requested one. After that date, ballots will be mailed as requests are received.

How do I send in my completed vote-by-mail ballot?

Any time after you receive it you can return your vote-by-mail ballot by U.S. Mail or take it to the Lake County Clerk’s office in person. A mailed ballot takes a regular first-class stamp, but if you forget to put a stamp on the envelope, the post office is legally required to deliver it.

Starting on October 24, 2022, you’ll have the option of depositing your vote-by-mail ballot in a secure Drop Box. Every Early Voting site in Lake County will have a Drop Box that you can access without waiting in the line for in-person voting.

Note that there will NOT be drop boxes at your Election Day neighborhood polling place.

What’s the deadline for sending in my vote-by-mail ballot?

Your ballot must be returned to your County Clerk in person or via Drop Box no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 8, 2022. If you send your ballot by U.S. Mail, it  must be postmarked no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 8, 2022, and will be accepted as long as it is received within 14 days after Election Day.

What if I have questions about how to fill out and return my ballot?

Your vote-by-mail ballot should come to you with clear, illustrated instructions. The single most important step? Sign the Certification Envelope in which you place your completed ballot the same way you sign your name when you go to vote in person. If you find that the instructions for completing and returning your mail-in ballot are unclear, simply call the Democratic Voter Assistance Hotline at 847-432-VOTE (8683), and we’ll walk you through the process.

What if I change my mind and want to vote in person?

Bring your ballot and the certification envelope that came with it to the polling place once in-person voting begins, hand them to an Election Judge, and say you want a regular ballot to vote then and there. If you misplaced your vote-by-mail ballot, tell that to the Election Judge, and they still will be able to give you a ballot to vote that day.

Where do I go to vote in person?

You can vote at the Lake County Clerk’s office starting on September 29th. You can also vote at any Early Voting polling place in Lake County starting on October 24th. On Election Day, you can vote at your assigned neighborhood polling place. Go online to the Lake County Clerk’s website, follow the sign-in instructions, and click the button “Where Do I Vote?” to find out the days and hours of Early Voting at the Highland Park Public Library as well as the location of the polling place assigned to you on Election Day.

Still have questions?
Call the Democratic Voter Assistance Hotline at 847-432-VOTE (8683).