County clerk sheds light on new county precincts

[September 30, 2011]  Recently the Logan County Board enacted an ordinance regarding boundary changes for Logan County precincts. The board reduced the 45 precincts to 29, thereby requiring the county clerk to recode and renumber the respective precincts. For a list of the new precincts and their polling locations, click here.

In some cases, the new precincts are a combination of two former precincts, thereby eliminating the need for additional ballot styles, coding, polling places, voting machines and election judges.

Although there is much discussion in the media about elections, Illinois does not have an election until March 20, 2012. This election will be a primary, and Illinois law requires that a voter ask for a specific party ballot in a closed primary. Although it offends some voters, election judges must ask voters the party in which they would like to vote so that they are issued the appropriate ballot.

On March 20 the following officers will be presented for nomination in the general primary:

• County board (two members from each of six districts)

• Clerk of the circuit court

• Coroner

• State's attorney

• Circuit judge

• State representative

• State senator

• United States Congress

• President of the United States

The following are officers to be elected at the primary:

• Delegates and alternate delegates

• Precinct committeemen

Candidate packets for county offices and precinct committeemen are available at the office of the county clerk. The first day to file completed, notarized nominating petitions and papers in the office of the county clerk is Nov. 28. The last day to file the same is Dec. 5.

The first day to apply for a no-excuse absentee ballot by mail is Feb. 9, 2012, and the last day is March 15, 2012.

The last day to register or change your name or voting address is Feb. 21, 2012.

Grace period registration begins Feb. 22, 2012, when one may change his or her address or register with proper identification and must vote in the office of the county clerk at the same time. The last day of grace period registration is March 13, 2012.

Early voting is offered as a convenience in the office of the county clerk to all registered voters from Feb. 27 through March 15, 2012.

In-person, no-excuse absentee voting is offered in the office of the county clerk Feb. 9 through March 19, 2012.

All voters should have received a new voter card. If they have not or it was incorrect, please contact the county clerk's office as soon as possible at [e-mail] or [e-mail] or by phone, 217-732-4148. If you are in a newly consolidated precinct, an election judge or greeter at the voting center will direct you to your proper voting area within the facility.

The Logan County clerk's office is encouraging voters to take advantage of "election month" with early and no-excuse absentee voting in the office. It will be offered in the office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Logan County Courthouse from Feb. 9 through March 19, 2012. Early and no-excuse absentee voting allows a voter to cast a ballot at his or her convenience while in Lincoln for medical appointments, shopping or dining out, thereby avoiding lines on Election Day as well as any last-minute schedule changes that may cause a voter to fail to cast a ballot.

All information regarding dates, polling places and other election information can be found on the county clerk website at http://www.co.logan.il.us/county_clerk/.

[Text from file received from Sally J. Litterly, Logan County clerk]