Election 2024: McHenry County voters can ask for mail-in ballots beginning Aug. 7

McHenry County voters soon will have a chance to request mail-in ballots for the Nov. 5 general election.

Mail ballot applications will be available starting Wednesday, but the ballot has not yet been finalized.

Referendums still have a few days to arrive to the county clerk but voters will see a few questions.

They’ll vote for U.S. president and McHenry County Board, among other national and local positions.

Voters will also decide if the Harvard City Clerk will be appointed and if the McHenry County Conservation District can enact a tax increase. The conservation district is retiring bonds when the tax increase, if approved, would take effect, and the district says taxes will go down.

While people can ask for ballots next week, they won’t be mailed until Sept. 26, when early voting in the county will begin at the new Elections Center in Woodstock.

Early voting expands to other county locations Oct. 21, McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said.

Mail-in ballots have to be postmarked by 7 p.m. Election Day and have two weeks after Election Day to get into the clerk’s office. Voters also can deposit their ballot in the drop box in the County Administration Building parking lot or inside at the clerk’s office. Voters who want to vote in person can surrender their mail-in ballot at the polls and vote there.

What you need to know about voting

Voters can vote in person on Election Day, vote early or vote by mail. Those wishing to get a mail-in ballot for the fall election can apply starting Wednesday, Aug. 7. A permanent vote by mail form is available on the McHenry County Clerk’s website, mchenrycountyil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/115629/63847905755213000.

People can register to vote online at ova.elections.il.gov, but the portal closes Oct. 20.

Voters can register in-person at the McHenry County Clerk’s Office, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock as well as other public facilities like village and city halls and libraries. They can also register to vote through the mail or register at the polls.

For those registering in person, they will need to bring two forms of identification with them, with at least one showing a current address, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Information about how to register to vote in Illinois can be found at mchenrycountyil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/107506/637884738452700000.

What’s next after this election?

While things conclude after the Nov. 5 election, there’s a bit of overlap in the 2024 and 2025 election cycles.

Primary elections for 2025 are scheduled for Feb. 25, but McHenry County doesn’t always hold a primary in odd-numbered years.

Primary candidates are able to start getting signatures for the ballot but have to file for office from Oct. 21 to 28, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections calendar.

For independent candidates running in the April 1, 2025, general election, filing will be Nov. 12 to 18, according to the calendar.