Our democracy will only thrive if we all participate in our government. So we’ve compiled some useful resources residents of Kane County should help you register to vote, find your polling place and make intelligent election choices.
Official Kane County Elections Website
You can find a wealth of useful information on the official Kane County Elections website. http://kanecountyelections.org/
Register to Vote – Online or by Mail
It’s easy to register to vote online (https://ova.elections.il.gov/) or register by mail (http://kanecountyelections.org/VoterRegistration/MailIn.aspx)
Get Your Sample Ballots
While the mainstream media will cover many high profile election campaigns, we all need to remember to focus on issues much closer to home as well. An effective local government is more important than many people realize. Well informed voter make it a habit to research the issues that will be on their ballots BEFORE they visit their polling place. To make this easier, Kane County provides sample ballots online that are available for all polling places before Early Voting starts. http://www.kanecountyelections.org/VoterInfo/Search.aspx
Find Your Polling Place
Voter registration cards should have the location of your polling place. Sometimes districts are redrawn so it is always a good idea to verify the location and polling times online. http://www.kanecountyelections.org/VoterInfo/Search.aspx
Early Voting
Once you have researched the candidates and issues, and are confident in your decisions, you have the option of voting early. You can find out details here: http://www.kanecountyelections.org/EarlyVoting/EarlyVotingSiteMap.aspx
Write-In Instructions
Voters can ask the election judge for a list of write in candidates to guarantee correct spelling, but it’s not strictly necessary. There will be a box and a blank line on the ballot if write-in candidates have filed intent to run for that office. Select this box, and then use the select wheel to spell your choice’s name one letter at a time. It’s cumbersome, for sure. The election judges are there to help though, and you can step away from your ballot to request assistance.