SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - Sangamon County officials have announced start dates for 2020 early voting and vote-by-mail options.
Both will begin on Thursday, Sept. 24, according to Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray.
“Starting Thursday, registered voters of Sangamon County can officially start casting ballots for the 2020 Presidential General Election. Casting a ballot early is quick, easy and convenient,” said Gray. “We have increased our voter processing stations and expanded our space to properly social distance poll booths. It is our priority to provide voters a safe, sanitized and healthy facility to cast ballots.
We are adhering to IDPH COVID-19 sanitizing and social distancing guidance, including installing plastic barriers, staff wearing masks and routinely sanitizing all surfaces with which early voters will come into contact.”
People can vote early by visiting Room 101 of the County Building (200 S. 9th St., Springfield). In-person hours run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday until Oct. 16. Voting hours will be extended on weekdays until 7 p.m. from Oct. 19 to Oct. 30 and on Monday, Nov. 2.
There will be early voting weekend hours in October and November. Times include:
- Oct. 10 and Oct. 17: 9 a.m. - noon
- Oct. 24 and Oct. 25: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Oct. 31 and Nov. 1: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The first round of vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to those who requested receiving a ballot through the mail on Thursday, Sept. 24. Gray said the county received in excess of 30,000 vote-by-mail ballot requests in 2020.
Those who make a request to vote by mail on or before Oct. 1 should expect to get their packet no later than Oct. 6.
“We currently have requests to vote by mail that is 3.5 times more ballots (30,000) than ever cast by mail in Sangamon County (8550),” said Gray. “It is clear that voters have some concerns over our changed environment due to COVID-19, which has prompted this extraordinary increase in vote-by-mail ballot requests. I ask voters to promptly mark their ballot and return them to ensure they are received in a timely manner.”
Mail voters can return their ballot in the following ways:
- USPS - no later than Oct. 27 as USPS recommends
- 24-hour ballot return drop boxes at the Sangamon County Complex on Monroe Street or at the Juvenile Detention Center on Dirksen Parkway
- Person or third-party hand delivery to the Election Office (200 S. 9th St., Room 105)
Gray said the county activated a vote-by-mail tracking system, which can be accessed here. This is meant to be another transparency and accountability resource for voters in Sangamon County. In addition, registered voters can track their vote-by-mail application and ballot by providing a few pieces of identifying information.
More information about voting in Sangamon County can be answered by clicking here or by calling the Election Office at (217)753-8683.
