Here’s how to apply for a mail-in election ballot in DeKalb County

SYCAMORE – The window for DeKalb County residents to request a mail-in ballot for the November general election opened Wednesday.

Voters in November will choose everything from the county’s next president to DeKalb County’s next state’s attorney and will be asked to weigh in on a number of referendums.

Here’s what voters should know:

How do I request a mail-in ballot?

The DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is responsible for administering elections in DeKalb County and is the point of contact for all DeKalb County voters.

Jessica Piecko, deputy chief of elections for DeKalb County, said that as of Wednesday, 4,141 DeKalb County residents have applied to vote by mail.

“It’s going to continue to rise. That’s pretty much basically just our permanent vote-by-mail list, and then we’ve got approximately 50 or so military and overseas voters that are tossed in the mix,” Piecko said. “Just because today was the first day we could actually accept those applications, we are still in the process of entering them into our database, but I do expect that number to continue to rise over the next couple of weeks.”

Where do I submit my mail-in ballot?

Vote-by-mail applications can be submitted 90 days before an election up through five days before election day, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

DeKalb County residents can look up their voter registration status, view a sample ballot, request a vote-by-mail ballot and check the status of that ballot through a voter information portal on the DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder’s Office website.

“It’s all kind of like a one-stop shop if you go to your voter information portal,” Piecko said.

How do I check if I’m registered to vote?

Anyone who is a qualified elector of the state of Illinois is eligible to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot, including those who may not currently be in Illinois.

Registered or nonregistered members of the U.S. military on active duty or U.S. government employees serving outside of the county, as well as their spouses and dependents (so long as they are of voter age), are eligible to apply. U.S. citizens who are temporarily out of the country but still hold a residence in state also can apply.

State and federal employees who had a voting residence in an Illinois precinct when they gained the employment but now reside elsewhere as a result of their employment also are eligible, according to the State Board of Elections.

New permanent ballot box to submit mail-in ballots

In June, DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder Tasha Sims revealed that DeKalb County will have a permanent ballot box for the upcoming election.

Voters who opt for a vote-by-mail ballot will be able to drive up to the ballot box, which Sims said will be positioned outside of the DeKalb County Administrative Building, 110 E. Sycamore St. in Sycamore.

The ballot box will be open to voters without interruption beginning 40 days before the Nov. 5 general election. Sims said the box, which will be placed in concrete, will have round-the-clock surveillance.

“That is the plan. The ballot drop box is currently sitting in our facilities and maintenance warehouse. I know that it is going to be placed on our property on Sycamore Street. They have not yet broke ground, but I do know they have spoken with the construction company that is going to pour the concrete,” Piecko said.

Election judges still needed

Piecko, who’s been the deputy chief of elections since February 2022, said she’s still seeking people who would like to help facilitate the election in November.

“There’s still time to apply if you’d like to be an election judge and be a part of this next coming election,” she said.

In order to serve, judges need to be a U.S. citizen, a registered voter and resident of DeKalb County, skilled in arithmetic and English, not a political election candidate and must declare their preferred party. For information on qualifications, visit www.dekalbcountyclerkil.gov.

Judges oversee the polls on election day, often working from open to close. They also help certify the election results. DeKalb County election judges are paid $160, plus $40 after attending the required training.

To find an election judge application, visit www.dekalbcountyclerkil.gov.

Those interested in serving as an election judge on election day in DeKalb County are invited to apply by calling 815-895-7147, faxing 815-895-7148 or emailing elections@dekalbcounty.org.