Cook County voters can now register to vote by mail
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County residents will soon get a chance to vote by mail for the June 28 primary election.
According to the Office of Clerk Karen Yarbrough, suburban registered voters can apply to get mail ballots. They can request a mail ballot by clicking here or by using the online application at cookcountyclerk.com/votebymail.
"Voting by mail has become increasingly popular in recent years and it's clear that voters enjoy the simple and convenient option of casting their ballot from the comfort of their own home," Yarbrough said.
The ballots will be mailed to voters beginning in late May.
"What makes the process even more accessible is the ability to request your ballot online. Voters can take their time and research candidates and referenda before casting their vote for our democracy," Yarbrough said.
On Wednesday, Chicago voters got the go-ahead to use the city's portal to sign up for mail-in ballots.
Voters can also download, print and sign a paper application to go to the clerk's office requesting a mail ballot. It can be sent to:
Cook County Clerk's Office, Mail Voting Unit, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60602.
According to Cook County, "voting by mail and early voting are continuing to trend upward as the preferred methods of voting in suburban Cook County in recent years. Both have increased exponentially, in part driven by the COVID-19 pandemic."
For the 2020 presidential election, "suburban voters shattered previous records for mail voting and early voting, with 76% of votes being cast prior to Election Day. There was a total of 460,281 mail votes cast and 453,077 suburban residents voted early for a total of 913,358 votes cast before election day out of more than 1.1 million ballots cast in total."
The deadline to apply is June 23. Ballots have to be postmarked no later than June 28, and the ballots have to received at the Cook County Clerk's Office "within 14 days of Election Day."
For the online mail ballot application, a registered voter needs:
• Email address. (an email will be sent to confirm the application before processing can be completed.)
• Illinois driver's license or state identification number.
• Last four digits of the voter's social security number.
• Address where the ballot should be mailed.
Completed ballots must be returned through the mail or dropped off at election drop box locations at suburban early voting sites, which open on June 13.
Suburban Cook County voters can look into their mail ballot status as well as other voter information by clicking here or by going to cookcountyclerk.com/voterinfo.
