Early voting kicks off Thursday for most suburban counties, but not Cook

Early voting became the predominant method for suburban voters to cast ballots four years ago, beating vote by mail and Election Day voting options.

Nearly 38% of all votes cast in the 2020 presidential election in suburban Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties were from early voters, according to data from county election officials. That was up from less than 31% for the 2016 presidential election.

And suburban election officials expect early voting to remain popular this year when it kicks off for most of the region Thursday.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers were just as big because people are creatures of habit,” said DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek. “If they voted early in 2016 and 2020, chances are they’re going to do the same this year.”

However, Cook County voters must wait until Oct. 9 to vote early.

“Each election authority sets its own dates for early voting,” said Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for Cook County Clerk Cedric Giles.

Voting by mail also became a popular option in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Suburban election officials said tens of thousands of mail-in ballots are soon being shipped out to voters who requested them.

“I’ve often told party leaders that the one that masters early voting and vote by mail will have the advantage,” said Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham.

Suburban early voters will have limited options where they can cast ballots for the first few weeks, but then dozens of additional locations will open in mid-October.

Five early voting sites open Thursday in DuPage County: the Addison Township offices, Bartlett Community Center, Downers Grove Recreation Center, the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton and the Naperville Municipal Center. On Oct. 21, 19 more early voting sites will open throughout the county. A full list of early voting sites with addresses and hours of operation is located on the county clerk’s website, dupagecounty.gov/elected_officials/county_clerk.

In Kane County, two early voting sites will open Thursday. One is at the county clerk’s office in Geneva and the other at the clerk’s satellite branch in Aurora. Next month, an additional 14 early voting sites will open throughout the county, and the clerk’s “vote mobiles” are also scheduled to make stops at various county locations next month as well. Addresses and hours of operation are available on the clerk’s website, https://clerk.kanecountyil.gov.

Early voters in Lake County only have one spot opening Thursday, that’s at the main courthouse lobby in Waukegan. Another 17 sites open throughout the county Oct. 21. A full list of those sites with hours of operation and addresses is available the county’s document center website, lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter.

The McHenry County Election Center in Woodstock is the lone early voting site opening Thursday. Another 11 early voting sites come online late next month. A full list with addresses and hours of operation is available at the county clerk’s voter information website, mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/county-clerk.

In Will County, early voters can head to the Will County clerk’s office in Joliet to cast a ballot beginning Thursday. On Oct. 21, 24 more early voting sites open up countywide. To find operating hours and addresses for all of them, visit willcountyclerk.gov/elections/early-voting.

Suburban Cook County early voters must wait until Oct. 9, when sites open at suburban courthouses in Rolling Meadows, Skokie, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham. Any Cook County resident can also cast any early ballot at the clerk’s Chicago site, 69 W. Washington St. On Oct. 21, more than 50 early voting sites will go live throughout suburban Cook County. A full list with operating hours and addresses is available at the clerk’s website, cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections.

Also available at each county election authority’s website are instructions on registering to vote.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.