There’s still time to vote early for governor and other primary races in IL. Here’s how.

Kelsey Landis
·6 min read

Monroe County Clerk Jonathan McClean told election judges to bring a book next Tuesday when polls open for voters who haven’t cast their primary ballots yet for governor, secretary of state, Congress and other offices.

“On Election Day it’ll be very boring for our judges,” said McClean, who expects a maximum of 10 to 15% voter turnout for the June 28 primary election.

Less than 2% of registered voters in Monroe County had cast their ballots as of Wednesday though early voting began May 19 in Illinois. Because COVID-19 challenges delayed U.S. Census results, the state moved back the primary to June. It’s normally held in March, but this year it’s competing with summer vacations and the Fourth of July.

“A lot of people, since they’re not used to a primary being in the summer, they’re forgetting about the election,” McClean said. “There’s also the fact that it’s summertime and close to one of the major holidays of the year where people take vacations.”

Primary election turnout is normally low because candidates from the same party compete against each other, and voters aren’t motivated by voting against an opposing party as they are in a General Election.

In the last gubernatorial primary election in 2018, Monroe County saw just under a 16% turnout, McClean said. That compares to roughly 60% in November General Elections.

In St. Clair County, only 1,869 people had voted as of Wednesday, according to the county clerk’s office, representing roughly 1% of all registered voters. Roughly 1.3% of voters had cast ballots as of Wednesday.

There’s still time to register to vote and to vote early. Here are some things to know about voting early, voting by mail and registering to vote in Illinois.

How do I vote by mail?

The last day to apply to vote by mail is June 23. The deadline for members of the military was June 20.

Any registered voter in Illinois may vote by mail without an excuse.

To find a vote-by-mail application for your local county or election authority, visit the State Board of Elections portal at https://bit.ly/39u1ct4. Do not send your application to the State Board of Elections. It must go to your local election authority.

You may return your ballot by mail, deliver it in person to your local election authority and in some jurisdictions, drop it in a secure drop-box. The State Board of Elections has a portal to find drop-boxes statewide at https://bit.ly/37SX6u3.

If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days after the election. If you deliver it in-person, it must be dropped off no later than Election Day.

How do I register to vote?

The regular voter registration period ended May 31, but there’s still time to register to vote under a grace period that lasts through Election Day on June 28. You may register to vote on Election Day.

In grace period voting, your County Clerk or election official may have specific rules for registering to vote. You may have to visit your County Clerk’s office in-person, though in some counties you may register to vote at some polling places. Check with your election authority for details.

When you register to vote during the grace period, you must vote at the time you register.

You’ll need two forms of valid identification. One must have your current name and address. Valid identification includes a driver’s license or state identification card. If you don’t have a valid photo ID, a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document with your current name or address will work.

You may also check if you’re already registered to vote on the state elections board’s website at elections.il.gov.

Voting early in St. Clair County

You may vote from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through June 27 at the St. Clair County Clerk’s Office Election Department (2nd Floor 10 Public Square, Belleville).

Other permanent voting sites include:

  • The Rec Complex, 9950 Bunkum Rd., Fairview Heights

  • O’Fallon Township Office, 801 East State St., O’Fallon

The dates for those sites — as well as at the Election Department in addition to its regular hours — are:

  • Weekdays June 23-24: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • June 27: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 25

  • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 26

St. Clair County has established a voter integrity hotline where voters may submit “report violations of the voting process in St. Clair County,” according to the clerk’s office.

You may send a complaint to voterintegrity@stclaircountyil.gov or send a letter to the St. Clair County Clerk’s Office, attention: Election Department, 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220. You may also call the hotline at 618‐825‐2366. Correspondence will be shared with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney, the St. Clair County Sheriff and the County Clerk’s election department.

Madison County

Madison County will hold early voting at the following locations:

  • Edwardsville (County Clerk’s Office, 157 N. Main St., Room 109): 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays through June 27; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 25

  • Alton, Scott Bibb Center (1004 East 5th St.) and Granite City Township Building (2060 Delmar Ave., Office B): 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 23-24 and 27; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 25

  • Bethalto Village Hall Committee Room (213 N. Prairie St.), Godfrey Village Hall (6810 Godfrey Road) and Troy City Hall (116 E. Market St.): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 23-24

  • Collinsville Senior Citizen Center (420 E. Main St.), Highland, Weinheimer Community Center (1100 Main St.), Madison Fire Station (1800 3rd St.): Noon to 6 p.m. June 23-24; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 25

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Morris University Center, Willow Room): Noon to 5 p.m. June 23-24

  • Wood River Township Office (41 S. 9th St., East Alton): 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 23-24

Clinton County

The Clinton County Clerk’s Office (850 Fairfax St., Carlyle) will hold early voting from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays through June 27 and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 25.

Randolph County

Early voting will be available at the Randolph County Courthouse (1 Taylor St., Chester) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays through June 27 and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 25.

Washington County

Early voting will be available at the Washington County Clerk’s Office (101 E. St. Louis St., Nashville) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays through June 27.

Monroe County

Early voting will be available at the Monroe County Clerk’s Office (100 S. Main St., Waterloo) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays through June 24 and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 25. The office is closed on Memorial Day.