General voter registration closes Tuesday

Voter registration is surging toward the Tuesday, Oct. 9 deadline, said Cook County Clerk David Orr. On Tuesday, the clerk’s downtown office at 69 W. Washington, Chicago, 5th floor, and the five suburban Cook County courthouse mini-centers will stay open until 8 p.m.

Since Monday, the clerk’s office has gotten more than 9,000 registrations from suburban voters, bringing the total number of registered voters to 1,373,580. About 45,000 registrations have been processed since the beginning of September.

To qualify to vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 by Election Day (Nov. 6) and a resident of his or her precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election. Voters can register for the first time or update their registration information:

Ÿ by filling in an online form at https://ovr.elections.il.gov/default.aspx, which must be printed, signed and mailed to the Clerk’s office;

Ÿ by mailing in a voter registration application, downloaded from cookcountyclerk.com/elections/registertovote;

Ÿ with an active deputy registrar;

Ÿ by visiting the clerk’s downtown or suburban courthouse locations;

Ÿ by visiting any Secretary of State’s office;

Ÿ by visiting any village hall, township office or library.

Prospective voters should bring two pieces of identification to register, including one displaying a current address.

After Oct. 9, voters can register only at the Clerk’s office (downtown or suburban courthouses) and must vote at the same time. This grace period runs from Oct. 10-Nov. 3. Grace period registrants are not allowed to vote at the polls on Election Day or vote at any Early Voting site.