Vote by mail: Now available for primary

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Updated: March 24, 2012 8:04AM

For the first time in a presidential primary election, all voters in Illinois may request a mail ballot to cast their vote, Cook County Clerk David Orr announced.

“In the past, you needed an absentee excuse to vote by mail,” Orr said. “All voters are now eligible for a mail ballot, bringing one more convenient option for participating in the democratic process.”

Mail ballot applications are being accepted for the March 20 presidential primary. Suburban Cook County voters can download an application at cookcountyclerk.com, request an application by calling (312) 603-0946 or pick one up at any of the clerk’s six offices. 

“I encourage every interested voter to request a mail ballot long before the March 15 deadline to make sure there is enough time for delivery,” Orr said.

Applications are available in English, Spanish, Hindi and Chinese. Applications must be delivered to the Clerk’s office by mail or courier or delivered in person by the voter. Applications cannot be emailed or faxed, except for military and overseas voters.

Upon receiving a mail ballot application, the Clerk’s office verifies the voter’s registration and signature, identifies the ballot style and then mails the ballot to the voter. After the voter makes his or her choices and fills out the certification form on the return envelope, the ballot must be mailed to the Clerk’s office with a postmark no later than March 19.

The law allowing for no-excuse mail voting was passed in 2009 and first implemented for the 2010 gubernatorial primary election.

Voters are reminded to keep their mail ballots secure. Do not let anyone else mark your ballot or coerce you into voting for any candidate. Also, only the voter, a close relative or an authorized messenger may handle or mail the completed ballot.

Early Voting is another method for casting your ballot. Early Voting will be held beginning Monday and continuing through March 15 at 44 suburban Cook County locations. Voters must present valid photo identification to participate in Early Voting.

Orr urges voters to use the online Voter Information Tool to find their registration status, precinct, polling location, voting districts and sample ballot. Due to redistricting and precinct reductions, voters may reside in different legislative districts and they could have been assigned to a new Election Day precinct and/or polling location.

All suburban Cook County voters will also receive their voter information by mail notice later this month. 

The Cook County Clerk’s Office is at 69 W. Washington, Fifth Floor, Chicago, IL 60602.

For information, call (312) 603-0906; TDD (312) 603-0902; en Español, llama (312) 603-6767; in Chinese, (312) 603-6769; or go to www.cookcountyclerk.com.