Your Local Guide for the November Elections
By Adamaris Gonzalez
Voting for the president of the United States is an election that only occurs every four years.
The actual process of submitting a voting ballot can be perplexing and difficult and the coronavirus pandemic is not making matters any less confusing.
Various questions and concerns regarding the voting polls for the 2020 election have been floating around social media and the answers to some of those frequently asked questions have been provided below, to make casting your vote just a tad bit easier.
Can people still register to vote for the November Presidential Election?
YES! In the state of Illinois, people can still register to vote, whether that be online, through mail, or in person before or on Election Day.
Important deadlines:
Registering to vote in person before the election. Illinois offers the option of registering to vote in person. You can apply at a Cook County Clerk office, at an Illinois Secretary of State driver license facility or at select polling locations. Be prepared for long wait lines because of COVID-19 precautions and check the Illinois Secretary of State website before you go to make sure it is open. There is, a grace period for people to register in person at selected locations until the Monday before the elections.
October 6 is the last day to register by mail. If registering by mail, you’ll want to make sure your paper application has been postmarked by October 6. To complete the application you will need one of the following: a driver’s license, state identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. There is an English application and Spanish application. Print, sign and mail it in to the Cook County Clerk’s Office 69 W. Washington, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60602!
October 18 is the last day to register to vote online. Registering to vote online is fast and simple. With a valid driver’s license or state ID, you can visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website and fill out the application. Remember that the online voter registration system will shut down at 11:59p.m. on October 18, 2020, so make sure to complete the process before then.
November 3, is election day. When registering to vote on Election Day, you can only register to vote at your precinct location. In Cicero, there are 19 locations, you can find yours at this link. You must bring two pieces of identification to register, one with a current address.
One can also update their voter registration,if needed, by calling 312.603.0946.
Can people still request a ballot to vote by mail?
YES! People can still request a ballot by mail.
In order to receive a mail-in ballot, you need to complete an online application and you’ll need your driver’s license, state identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. In addition, you will need a specified address where you would like the ballot mailed to you.
If people don’t have access to internet, a computer or prefer to send the mail ballot application by mail, they can download the application in English and Spanish and mail it in by Thursday, October 29th, 2020 to:
Cook County Clerk’s office, Mail Voting Unit
69 W. Washington, Suit 500
Chicago, IL 60602
Your voter eligibility will be verified by comparing signatures from your application to your voter registration record before mailing the ballot to you.
It is recommended that you apply as early as possible to receive your ballot. The ballot must be received at the Cook County Clerk’s office within 14 days after the election and postmarked no later than Election Day, November 3, for it to count.
If you don’t want to mail in your ballot, where can you drop it off in Cicero and Berwyn?
Drop boxes available for easy access and fast delivery have been confirmed in the Cicero area. The Cook County Board of Elections has announced that they will be offering more than 50 drop boxes available at various voting sites all throughout Cook County, postage free.
“Mail ballots will be collected on a daily basis and will be time stamped,” the clerk’s office said in a released statement.
The drop boxes will be available to drop off ballots, in various locations, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. As well as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Starting on October 19, 2020 the closest locations for Cicero and Berwyn residents will be:
Cicero Community Center: 2250 S 49th Ave.
Cicero PSO building: 5410 W 34th St.
Security measures will be taken to protect the privacy of the public. Protection efforts include video surveillance, tamper-resistant seals, and chain-of-custody logs that will be completed each time votes have been collected from each location.
When will early voting in person begin in Cicero and Berwyn?
There are numerous locations open for early voting in the suburban neighborhoods of Cook County, starting October 7, 2020. However, the closest locations are the Cicero Community Center located at 2250 S 49th Ave. and the Cicero PSO building located at 5410 W 34th St.
For Cicero residents, early voting will begin on October 19 and will end November 1. The Cicero Community Center and the Cicero PSO building will hold early voting opportunities during the same dates and periods of time, so choose the destination easiest for you.
Oct.19- Oct.23: 8:30a.m. - 7:00p.m.
Oct.24: 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Oct. 25: 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Oct.26- Oct.30: 8:30a.m. - 7:00p.m.
Oct. 31: 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Nov. 1: 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
What Coronavirus precautions will be taken at voting locations?
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) encourages local election authorities to implement precautions at polling locations to minimize the exposure of COVID-19 by placing signage at entrances to encourage voters to wear face coverings, station polling booths at least 6 feet apart, have separate entrances and exits, one directional foot traffic and designate floor signage for people to wait while in line, all to ensure 6 foot social distancing.
In addition IDPH encourages where possible that polling locations replace shared objects such as pens, ballot activation cards, or ballot covers with single-use objects or disinfect between users.
Early voting locations in Berwyn cannot guarantee these safety precautions. Berwyn residents looking to cast their votes early are encouraged to go to other locations including those in Cicero.
Adamaris Gonzalez is a student at Morton East High School.
