Your November 8 Election Guide

Lake County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 10/27/2016 07:42 AM CDT

October 27, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

Election Day is coming, and voting is more convenient than ever before. Check out all the details in this newsletter, including what is on your ballot, early voting sites, and finding your polling place on Election Day.

The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) is holding its last mobile household chemical waste event of the year Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Mundelein Metra Train Station. This is a great opportunity to get rid of unwanted aerosol products, motor oil, fertilizer and other chemicals. View what items will be accepted.

As always, I welcome your feedback. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up to continue to receive news about Lake County and District 20.

Election Day Is Almost Here. Find Out Where to Vote, Register, Preview Your Ballot and More

The Nov. 8 election is fast approaching. View the voter information guide to see a complete list of candidates, public questions, early voting sites, and more.

Three Ways to Vote

Vote Early and Register at a Site Across the County
You can now vote and register at any early voting site regardless of where you live in Lake County. Early voting will be available until Nov. 7. Hours and dates vary at the 14 different locations. Find your closest early voting site.

Vote from the Comfort of Your Home
Avoid the long lines on Nov. 8 by filling out your ballot from the comfort of your own home. It’s so easy that even a couch potato can do it! To request a ballot by mail, visit LakeCountyClerk.info and click on the “Vote by Mail” icon, call 847-377-2406, or email your name and address to VotingbyMail@lakecountyil.gov. The final day to submit your application is 5 p.m. Nov. 3.

Voting and Registering to Vote On Election Day
If you plan on voting on Election Day, you must vote at your precinct’s polling location. To find which site you need to vote at, use our Polling Place Locator. Be aware that voter registration also will be available in all precinct polling locations on Election Day and at the County Clerk’s Office in Waukegan.

Preview Your Ballot

Did you know you can preview your personalized ballot before heading to the polls? Log onto LakeVoterPower.info and confirm your registration. Then you can print your ballot preview to take into the voting booth as a reference.

Get Treats Ready! Halloween is Coming

Several Lake County communities have set their trick-or-treat hours for this year. Find out when it’s happening in your area by viewing Visit Lake County's latest guide. See Your Communities’ Trick-or-Treat Hours.

Be safe this Halloween
This Halloween weekend, remember to be safe. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will deploy extra traffic safety patrols to identify and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers this weekend. Deputies will also focus efforts on seat belt and speed enforcement.

In addition to traffic safety, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office will have extra deputies patrolling while children are trick-or-treating. Sheriff’s detectives will provide additional monitoring of registered child sexual offenders to ensure they are in compliance with the law and not participating in trick-or-treating. View some safety tips to make this a safe and fun Halloween.

Learn About Sheriff’s Office Initiatives at Town Hall Meetings

Learn about the various initiatives the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is leading by attending one of five town hall meetings at locations throughout Lake County. Topics will include implementation of body-worn cameras, mental health initiatives, procedural justice programs and more. All meetings will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. View the town hall meeting dates and locations.

Forest Preserves News

Book your 2017 event at a Forest Preserve picnic shelter
Reservations for 2017 dates at any of the Forest Preserves’ 31 picnic shelters are now being accepted. Plan early for your family reunion, company picnic or other group gathering to ensure your first choice of shelter and date. Learn more.

Take the Des Plaines River Trail Challenge
Travel the entire 31.4 miles of the Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) by Nov. 30 and be rewarded. The final section of the DPRT was completed in 2015 and now spans the length of the county. Help celebrate this amazing gem by using it. Bike it. Boat it. Walk it or run it. Or, you can make a donation to help the Forest Preserves keep it clean and safe. Learn more.

Residents Are Working to Reduce Waste Put into Landfills

Residents who live in unincorporated Lake County are reducing the amount of waste being put into landfills from 2.5 pounds per person per day in 2014 to 2.37 pounds per person per day in 2015, according to the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County. This decrease occurred a year after Lake County required waste haulers to provide recycling bins to all residents.

SWALCO reminds you there are items in each room that you can recycle. Check out this guide to learn more. And visit SWALCO’s website to learn about all the recycling programs, including electronics, clothing and textiles, shoes, household chemical waste and prescription drugs.

Learn the Do's And Don'ts of Food Scrap Composting

You may be used to putting paper and plastics in the recycling container, but did you know you can also recycle food items every day like banana peels and coffee grounds? Many food scraps end up in the landfill but could be composted instead. Watch this to learn the do’s and don’ts of food composting.

Pay County Fines, Avoid Collection Fees During Amnesty Week

All collection fees will be waived on any past due fines to Lake County during Amnesty Week, which runs now through Friday, Oct. 28. Full and partial payments will be accepted. You can pay by phone by calling 847-377-3239, or by visiting any Circuit Clerk branch location from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to make a payment. Payments can be made at the following locations:

Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office, 18 N. County St., Waukegan
Mundelein Branch Court, 105 E. Route 83
Park City Branch Court, 301 Greenleaf St.
Round Lake Branch Court, 1792 Nicole Lane, Round Lake Beach

Preliminary Applications To Be Accepted for Housing

The Lake County Housing Authority will be accepting preliminary applications for the Public Housing Scattered Site waiting lists beginning Oct. 31 through Nov. 4. Preliminary applications can be accessed online only for the Scattered Site 3 bedroom units on the Lake County Housing Authority website. All completed applications will be accepted, however, only 300 preliminary applications will be randomly selected using a computer generated lottery system.

The Lake County Housing Authority also will open the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Waiting List. Preliminary applications for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program will be accepted Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. Preliminary applications also can be accessed only on the Lake County Housing Authority website. All completed applications will be accepted, however, only 5,000 preliminary applications will be randomly selected using a computer generated lottery system.