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PERMANENT VOTE-BY-MAIL REGISTRATION OPENS AUG. 10 IN ILLINOIS
Illinois Policy Institute
| Dylan Sharkey
Permanent vote by mail allows Illinoisans to vote at home, offering
convenience and a chance to make better-informed decisions. Voters
automatically receive a ballot for each future election, so illness or
forgetfulness aren’t barriers to civic duty.
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 The Nov. 8 election will be the first opportunity
to permanently register to vote by mail in Illinois.
Senate Bill 825 went into effect July 1, allowing a single application to ensure
voters automatically receive mail-in ballots for future primary and general
elections. Aug. 10 is the first day when voters can make that request ahead of
the election.
Until this upcoming election, voters in Illinois had to ask for a mail-in ballot
for each election cycle. Now, even if a voter forgets about an upcoming
election, a ballot will arrive in the mail to remind them.
All county clerks must mail permanent vote-by-mail notices and applications to
registered voters starting Aug. 10, when permanent vote-by-mail registration
opens. All registered voters will automatically get a notice and application no
later than Sept 24.
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Mailing in your ballot is the safest way to prevent voter fraud, and has been
the standard of the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War. Waiting until
Election Day can have unforeseen consequences, such as illness or personal
emergencies or long lines at your polling place. The earlier you vote, the more
secure your ballot.
If you change your mind and want to vote in person, you can exchange your
mail-in ballot for a regular ballot with the election judge at your local
polling place.
Voting by mail is a proven way to increase election turnout. Once you mail in
your ballot, you can immediately look to see where it’s at in the process using
Ballottrax.
Permanently registering to vote by mail gives voters more time to study the
candidates in the privacy of their own homes. Researching and voting from your
kitchen counter instead of a polling place gives you more time to be an informed
voter and pick candidates who best represent you and your values.
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