You can start voting now in the November general election in Illinois, if you want to.
Thursday is the day early voting can start taking place, with those signing up for regular mail-in ballots soon to get theirs.
And of the options for early voting, Galesburg Board of Elections Executive Director Lisa Watson tells Galesburg’s Morning News on WGIL getting a vote-by-mail ballot automatically every election has taken off quickly here.
“There have been about 2,200 people [that] have signed up for permanent vote-by-mail,” said Watson. “Some other have signed up just to get a ballot for November 5.”
If you do vote by mail, Watson says there are some guidelines.
“There will be some instructions inside your ballot materials, which include making sure that you sign where the X is at on your certification envelope. That is the equivalent of signing in the poll book on Election Day,” said Watson. “Then, you have some choices in terms of returning that vote-by-mail ballot.”
Watson says there is a drop box outside the front door of City Hall, you can take it inside the election office if it’s open, or simply put a Forever stamp on the envelope and mail it. While vote-by-mail ballots can be mailed starting Thursday, Watson says those ballots should be delivered by mail to those who requested by them, likely, by the end of next week.
It’s ideal, she says, if the ballot is received at least several days prior to Election Day, so that it can be properly counted. Watson says it’s also important to know that if you vote early, your vote is just as safe and secure as it would be on Election Day.
You can also vote early in person at the Galesburg Election Office. CLICK HERE for times and further election information.
Watson says turnout in some form or fashion is always higher than off-year or even local elections. Last time (2020), she says, more than 70 percent of the city’s registered voters cast a ballot either early or on Election Day.
