Early voting begins Monday: Where you can go to do it
Starting Monday, voters have 15 days to cast ballots at dozens of early voting sites throughout the suburbs ahead of the Nov. 6 election.
The popularity of early voting has grown every year since it was first allowed in the 2006 election.
Election officials throughout the state believe that trend will continue with this election.
Early voters can choose any site within the county where they live.
With two forms of identification, citizens who are at least 18 can register or update their registration at the time of voting in person at early voting sites.
Although early voting begins Monday, there's also still time to apply to vote by mail by contacting the county clerk's office or election authority where you live.
Suburban Cook County
More than 50 early voting sites will be open in suburban Cook County through Nov. 5, including locations at the village halls in Arlington Heights, Barrington Hills, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Palatine and Streamwood. The Des Plaines Library, Cook County Courthouse in Rolling Meadows, Trickster Art Gallery in Schaumburg, and George and Angela Paterakis Center in Wheeling will also house early voting sites, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr's office. Orr's website, cookcountyclerk.com, has the addresses, dates and hours of operation for each early voting site.
DuPage County
DuPage County has only 11 early voting sites, five of which don't offer Sunday hours and aren't available after Nov. 3. Those early voting sites with limited availability are at the Addison Township offices, Bartlett Community Center, Downers Grove village hall, Elmhurst city hall and Glen Ellyn Civic Center, according the DuPage Election Commission website. The other six early voting sites at the Naperville Municipal Center, Olive Tree Condominiums in Naperville, election commission offices in Wheaton, Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale, Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and Yorktown Center in Lombard offer Sunday hours and are open through Nov. 5. For addresses and specific dates and hours, visit the commission's website at dupageco.org.
Lake County
Lake County voters will have 16 early voting sites to choose from, but only four will operate all 15 days. Gurnee village hall will house one of the four. The other three are in Waukegan and North Chicago, according to the Lake County Clerk's website.
Another 12 early voting sites operating with no Sunday hours through Nov. 3 are also available, including locations at the Antioch Township offices in Lake Villa, Ela Township offices in Lake Zurich, Fremont Township offices in Mundelein, Lake Barrington village hall, Round Lake village hall, the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville and the Wauconda Township offices in Wauconda. Visit the Lake County clerk's website at lakecountyil.gov for specific locations and dates and hours of operation.
McHenry County
McHenry County voters will have 10 options for early voting, including sites at the Country Inn and Suites in Crystal Lake, Cary Area Library, Huntley Park District offices, Lake in the Hills village hall and Nunda Township offices in Crystal Lake. For a list of early voting locations and the dates and hours of operation, visit the clerk's website at mchenrycountyil.gov.
Kane County
In Kane County, voters will not only have 19 early voting sites to cast their ballots at, but the clerk's office also provides a mobile early voting option that makes daily stops at locations throughout the county through Nov. 1.
Voters can cast an early ballot at the clerk's office in Geneva, the branch court in St. Charles, the clerk's Aurora satellite office and Phillips Park Stover Center in Aurora. The Carpentersville Fire Station No. 93, Elgin's Gail Borden Library, the Elgin Township offices and Vaughan Athletic Center in Aurora are also early voting sites.
Additionally, early voting is offered on a limited basis at the Campton Community Center in Campton Hills, Batavia Civic Center, Elgin city hall, St. Charles city hall, Dundee Township offices in East Dundee, West Dundee village hall, Sun City in Huntley, Hampshire Township offices, Sugar Grove Library, The Holmstad in Batavia and Town & Country Library in Elburn. For a list of addresses, specific dates and hours of operation for Kane County's early voting sites as well as a list of all the stops for the mobile voting site, visit kanecountyclerk.org.
Will County
Will County voters in southern Naperville and Aurora can cast ballots early at the Naperville Municipal Center and Wheatland Township offices in Naperville as well as 20 other early voting sites throughout the county. A full list of those sites with dates and hours of operation are available at thewillcountyclerk.com.