Elections News

MEDIA ADVISORY

From:  McLean County Clerk, Kathy Michael

            Tazewell County Clerk, John C. Ackerman

Date:    September 21, 2023

Contact:          Kathy Michael, McLean County Clerk, 309-888-5183    

John C. Ackerman, Tazewell County Clerk, 309-477-2264

CENTRAL ILLINOIS ELECTION AUTHORITIES AND 

STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HOST JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

Discussion on Commitment to Election Integrity and Transparency Heading into the 2024 Presidential Election

ILLINOIS: Local Election Authorities throughout Central Illinois (Republican, Democratic, Non-Partisan) and the Illinois State Board of Elections will hold Joint Press Conferences concerning their commitment to Election Integrity and Transparency as we head into the 2024 Primary and General Elections.

Joint Media Events will be held on September 26^th at the following times and locations:

A. Tazewell County Clerk's Office at 9:00 am

B.  McLean County Clerk's Office at Noon

C.  LaSalle County Board Chambers at 4:00 pm

A Joint Media Event will also be held on September 27^th at the Shields-Carter Room in the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana at 11:00 am. 

The following individuals will participate in one or more of the Joint Press Conferences: 

1. Bloomington Election Commission Executive Director Luke Stremlau

2. Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons

3. Fayette County Clerk Jessica Barker

4. Fulton County Clerk Patrick O'Brian

5. Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham

6. Knox County Clerk Scott Erickson

7. LaSalle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner

8. Livingston County Clerk Kristy Masching

9. Logan County Clerk Theresa Moore

10. Madison County Clerk Linda Andreas

11. Marshall County Clerk Jill Kenyon

12. Mason County Clerk Summer Brown

13. McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio

14. McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael

15. Peoria County Election Commission Executive Director Elizabeth Gannon

16. Pike County Clerk Natalie Roseberry

17. Putnam County Clerk Tina Dolder

18. Stark County Clerk Heather Hollis

19. Tazewell County Clerk John C. Ackerman

20. Woodford County Clerk Dawn Kupfer

21. Illinois State Board of Elections Public Information Officer Matt Dietrich

Local Election Leaders will address the ever-increasing election misinformation and inquiries into their election processes and procedures since the 2016 Presidential Election. They will highlight how local election management secures the integrity of elections in Illinois, along with their collaboration of sharing best practices and policies. They will also stress their open invitation for the public to visit their offices to discuss any questions and concerns. Transparency about election processes and procedures has long been a priority, and this outreach will continue their important work to increase public confidence.

Register to vote so you’re all set for the 2024 Primary Election and General Election!

It’s easy to register to vote! You can register online, by visiting the County Clerk’s Office, or by printing a voter registration and mailing it to us.

Though you can register to vote in McLean County during Early Voting or on Election Day, you’ll save yourself time if you’re registered in advance. You must also be registered to vote before you can request a vote by mail ballot.

Main reasons people need to register:

• You’ve never registered to vote
• Your name changed since you last registered
• You moved (even moving one floor in a university residence hall may change your precinct)

Learn more about voter registration or register to vote.

If you have questions, contact us by using the Ask an Election Question form.

The week of September 11-5 is Disability Voter Week, a special week to encourage disabled voters to vote and to increase awareness of their options to participate in the election process.

Did you know: "If people with disabilities voted at the same rate as people without disabilities who have the same demographic characteristics, there would be about 2 million more voters?
- Source: "Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2022 Elections, Supplemental Analysis of Census Voter Turnout Data, Lisa Schur, Douglas Kruse, Mason Ameri

Disabled Voters Rights

Disabled voters experience the same rights as non-disabled voters, plus these extra rights that are protected by federal law.

• The right to accessible voter registration
• The right to accessible polling places
• The right to accessible, available, and operational voting machines
• Protections against discrimination due to a disability
• The right to vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed
• The right for a service animal to accompany you in the polling place
• The right to assistance from a person of your choice or a poll worker (except a boss, union agent, or candidate unless they are family)

How Can Disabled Voters Vote

Disabled voters have many ways to cast their vote for elections including

• Voting in-person in their polling place on Election Day
• Voting in-person at a vote center on Election Day
• Voting in-person at an Early Voting Center
• Voting via Vote by Mail
• Voting in-person curbside at their polling place on Election Day

In addition, the McLean County Clerk's Office coordinates voting for those residing in county nursing homes by visiting the facilities to ensure all those who want to vote are able to.

To learn more about your rights as a disabled voter, visit The American Association of People with Disabilities website.

The Illinois State Board of Elections has released the following documents which are all available on the Candidate Filing Information page of the McLean County website. Scroll past the calendar to access these forms and documents.

• 2024 Abbreviated Election Calendar
• 2024 Candidate Election and Campaign Finance Calendar
• 2024 Candidate Guide and Filing Information

The McLean County Clerk's Office has released the Overview for Petition Packets as well.

On Tuesday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Government Center, 115 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, Illinois, McLean County Clerk’s office will perform the Illinois State Board of Elections re-tabulation for randomly selected precincts within McLean County.

The precincts selected by the Illinois State Board of Elections for re-tabulation are:

• Office Early Vote 01
• Empire 01
• Old Town 01
• Funks Grove
• Normal 13

These precincts will be re-tabulated as directed by the Illinois State Board of Elections.  The re-tabulation does not change vote counts.

View the official 2023 Consolidated Election Re-Tab Notice

What is a retabulation?

As mandated in 10 ILCS 5/24B-15 and 5/24C-15, each Election Authority shall re-tabulate (re-tab) the election results after each election and before the official canvass of results. The Illinois State Board of Elections (ILSBE) randomly selects 5% of your precincts and Early Voting equipment to be re-tabulated.

As part of such re-tabulation, the election authority shall test the computer program in the selected precincts and on the selected early voting devices. Such test shall be conducted by processing a pre-audited group of ballots so punched so as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each public question and shall include for each office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the equipment to reject such votes.

If any error is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected, and an errorless count shall be made prior to the official canvass and proclamation of election results.

Illinois Statutes

Vote by mail applications are now available for the March 19, 2024 General Primary Election. Our Vote by Mail web page offers two ways to submit your application - one version to print and mail in, the other to complete and submit online. View the Election calendar to see deadlines.

The vote by mail application allows three options to request a vote by mail ballot.

1. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for the March 19, 2024 General Primary Election only.
2. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections that do not require a party designation. (permanent vote by mail application)
3. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections (those that do and do not require a party designation). In selecting this option the voter must select the party designation that they want to receive in subsequent elections. (permanent vote by mail application)

If selecting a permanent vote by mail application, the voter will continue to receive a vote by mail ballot for future elections using the parameters selected until that voter is deceased, updates their permanent vote by mail application by submitting a new application, or submits a written request to cancel their application.

April 4 is Election Day in Illinois. There are a number of ways to vote on Election Day. The list below provides directions about your options to ensure your vote is counted.

Vote by Mail

Mail your ballot

If you requested a vote by mail ballot and have it in your possession, you can mail your ballot to the County Clerk's office using the provided return envelope. The US Postal Service has to stamp the envelope on April 4 for your ballot to be accepted at our office.

Deliver your ballot to your precinct

Every precinct accepts completed vote by mail ballots. Simply enter a polling place and tell an election judge that you're there to drop off your vote by mail ballot. The election judge will direct you to the drop box in the polling place. All ballots will be delivered to our office after the polls close.

Drop your ballot in a drop box

Complete your ballot, sign and date the ballot envelope, then seal it in the return envelope. Drop your sealed ballot off at one of our drop box locations before 7:00 pm on April 4. Election judges will gather ballots from drop boxes at 7:00 pm and deliver them to our office. By law, ballots cannot be accepted after 7:00 pm on Election Day.

Vote In-Person

At your polling place

Visit your polling place between the hours of 6:00 am and 7:00 pm to vote in person. Any person in line at 7:00 pm will be allowed to vote. Anyone arriving after 7:00 pm may not vote. If you aren't sure where your polling place is you can look at your Voter ID Card or view our Polling Place web page. You must vote in your polling place; you cannot visit another polling place to vote on Election Day.

At the vote center

A vote center is a location where any voter registered with the McLean County Clerk's office may vote regardless of their home precinct. The vote center is located in the Government Center at 115 E. Washington St., Bloomington and is open from 6:00 am - 7:00 pm.

Voters who live in the City of Bloomington and are registered with the Bloomington Election Commission (BEC) must visit the BEC vote center.

What if I'm not Registered to Vote?

Illinois offers Election Day Registration so you can still vote! State law requires that Election Day Registrants register and vote during the same visit. You are required to bring two forms of identification to register. You may register and vote at your home polling place or at the vote center.

Sample ballots for the 2023 Consolidated Election on April 4 are posted to the McLean County Elections website. Visit https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/1600/Ballots to view sample ballots. Instructions to find your ballot are on the Ballots page.

There are 191 ballot styles for the April Consolidated Election. We are always looking for ways to make the voting experience better for voters. This year we're testing a new format in preparation for the 2024 Primary and General Elections and we want your feedback! We have listed every address for our election authority and identified the ballot style for that address.

Previously we listed sample ballots by precinct; when you located your precinct there were likely multiple ballot styles for your precinct which led to voter confusion about which ballot to review. We hope this new method makes it easier for you to find your ballot.

A ballot style refers to a specific layout or content for a ballot, usually based upon precinct and/or address. Offices, candidates, or referenda may vary within a single precinct, based on an individual's address. For example, one side of a street may be in a different county board district, etc.

If you're uncertain which ballot style you'll use on Election Day, feel free to use the Contact Us button to submit your question and we'll be glad to assist. We're also available by phone at 309-888-4035 or [email protected].

Early voting for the April 4, 2023 Consolidated Election begins on Thursday, February 23. Early voting is available through 7:00 pm on April 3, 2023 at the McLean County Government Center lobby. Dates and time details are available on the elections early voting page.

McLean County has two election authorities. The McLean County Clerk's Office handles all elections for the county except the City of Bloomington. Voting in the City of Bloomington is conducted by the Bloomington Election Commission.