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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2020
Contact:  Robin M. O'Connor
              847-377-VOTE

Voting by Mail in November 2020

WAUKEGAN, Illinois – Public Acts 101-641 and 101-642 were signed into law by Governor Pritzker on June 16, 2020 changing some provisions to the election process only for the November 3, 2020 General Election. These changes will be repealed on January 1, 2021.

Due to COVID-19, we are encouraging all voters to vote by mail and avoid lines during early voting or on Election Day. Feel safe in the comfort of your own home and vote from there.

Some of the voting by mail changes include:

• Expanding the period of time when voters can submit an Application for Ballot. Applications can be submitted beginning June 16 instead of the original date of August 1.
• Enabling voters to submit an Application for Ballot through email. This is in addition to the already-existing mail, in person delivery, or electronic methods.
• Mailing of an Application for Ballot by the Lake County Clerk to those who registered to vote or changed their name on their voter registration record between March 18, 2020 and July 31, 2020.
• By August 1, the mailing of an Application for Ballot by the Lake County Clerk to the voters who cast a ballot by mail, during early voting, or on Election Day in the 2018 General Election (November 2018), the 2019 Consolidated Election (April 2019), or the 2020 General Primary Election (March 2020).

Benefits of voting by mail

• No waiting in line at the voting site
• Vote from the safety of home
• Extra time to review your ballot
• Vote when it's convenient for your schedule
• Your ballot can be mailed to any alternate address - especially helpful for snowbirds and students

Voting by mail is open to all registered voters -- no excuse or reason to qualify. To have your ballot arrive in your mailbox, you simply submit an electronic or paper Application for Ballot  to the Lake County Clerk's office by 5 PM on October 29, 2020.

Electronic or paper application?

If you prefer a paper application, you can wait for the August mailing from the Lake County Clerk's office, download the application from our website, or request one to be sent to you now. But for the most efficient service, we are encouraging you to submit an electronic ballot application through the Lake County Clerk's website. A few clicks online, and you are done! You will save time, paper, and postage.

Electronic application request

Log into LakeVoterPower.info with your name, house number (not street name), zip code, and date of birth. On the next screen, select “Request a Ballot by Mail.”

Select “Electronic Request" and follow the prompts on the next screens where you can add your alternate mailing address, if desired.

When you see the confirmation screen, you will know your request has been successfully submitted.

Paper application request

All paper applications must be completed, signed, and returned to the Lake County Clerk’s office.

•  Download and print your application
  • Complete this PDF form by manually filling in the fields
  • Log into LakeVoterPower.info and select “Paper Form” to generate a personalized PDF
• Receive your application by email or U.S. Postal Service
  • Call 847-377-VOTE or 847-377-2406
  • Send an email (votingbymail@lakecountyil.gov) with your name, address & date of birth

Returning your completed and signed paper application

• Mail or personally deliver to:
  Lake County Clerk’s Office
  18 N. County St., Room 101
  Waukegan, IL 60085
  
  
• Email to votingbymail@lakecountyil.gov
  You will need to scan your completed and signed form before returning by email.

Important dates

You can track the Lake County Clerk's receipt of your voted ballot at LakeVoterPower.info. All mailed, early, and Election Day voted ballots are tallied on election night after the polls close and all voters in line by 7 PM have been served.

Questions about voting by mail?

• 847-377-VOTE or 847-377-2406
• VotingbyMail@lakecountyil.gov

For more information on Lake County Clerk services and up-to-the-minute election news, visit LakeCountyClerk.info, follow us at twitter.com/LakeCountyClerk, join our page at facebook.com/CountyClerk, or call 847-377-2400.