Your Guide To 2021 Elections In Algonquin, LITH

ALGONQUIN AND LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL — Both the Algonquin and Lake in the Hills village board races have four different candidates vying for three open seats this spring. Election Day is Tuesday and polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on McHenry County.

The Algonquin Village Board is coming off a rough year. Not only, like many municipalities, have leaders in the community grappled with ways to push through the COVID-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on many local businesses in towns. But the village was also dealt an unexpected blow when longtime village president John Schmitt died last summer.

Former village board trustee, Debby Sosine, stepped in as acting village president. Schmitt, who was remembered as an "anchor" for the village during tough times, was 72 when he died and was first elected to the village board in 1993. He became village president in 2002.

"John always fought the good fight for his constituents, even when it took many years," said McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks following Schmitt's death. "John was a pioneering visionary — a model of what a city leader should be — and his death is a devastating loss to Algonquin and McHenry County."

Schmitt's seat is up for election, and Sosine is running uncontested for it.

Incumbents Janis Jasper, Laura Brehmer and Jerry Glogowski are running against Robert Smith, a former Algonquin Village Board trustee. All candidates shared their top priorities in recent Patch.com candidate profiles, which can be viewed below:

• Janis Jasper
• Laura Brehmer
• Jerry Glogowski
• Robert Smith

In Lake in the Hills, three long-time trustees are hoping to keep their seats while Paul Mulcahy, a former village board trustee and president, is hoping to earn a spot back on the village board.

Mulcahy was ousted in 2017 when Lake in the Hills residents elected Ruzanski as the new village board president. Incumbents Bob Huckins, Steven Harlfinger and Bill Dustin are also running this election.

The following Lake in the Hills Village Board candidates submitted profiles to Patch:

• Bob Huckins
• Steven Harlfinger
• Bill Dustin

Early voting opened across the county on March 22, and will run through April 5. Polls will also be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day. You can check to see if you are registered to vote by heading to the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

The law requires registered voters to keep their name and address current, and you will not be able to vote in the April consolidated election if you are not properly registered.

If you are not registered to vote, you can do so at the polls in McHenry County during early voting or on Election Day, according to the McHenry County Clerk's Office. Registered voters in McHenry County who do not have a voter’s registration card or who have a question regarding their registration, should contact the County Clerk’s Office at 815-334-4242.

State laws require early voters to provide a valid photo ID to an election official before receiving a ballot to vote early. Valid forms of ID include a current driver's license, a driver's license of state ID, university/college ID or another government-issued ID with a photo, such as a passport.

Early Voting Locations And Hours

There are 10 early voting locations in McHenry County, including locations in Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills and Algonquin. Find a convenient location near you on the McHenry County Clerk's website. Early voting sites at the Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road in Crystal Lake; McHenry City Hall, 333 S. Green Street, McHenry; and Lake in the Hills Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, will be open during the following hours:

• Monday, March 29 through Friday, April 2: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 3: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, April 4: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Monday, April 5: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Early voting sites at the Huntley Park District, 12015 Mill St., Huntley; Algonquin Library, 2600 Harnish Drive, Algonquin; and at the Cary Area Library, 1606 Three Oaks Road, Cary; will be open during these times:

• Monday, March 29 through Friday, April 2: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 3 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day (April 6). You can find your polling place on the McHenry County Clerk's Office.

Request A Mail-in Ballot, Check If You Are Registered

The last day to request a mail in ballot, including military and overseas voters is April 1. The last day for mail ballots to be postmarked is April 6.

If you are returning your vote by mail ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by election day and received no later than 14 days following Election Day. If you do not receive your ballot or have questions, you can contact the clerk's office at (815) 334-4242 or by email at votebymail@mchenrycountyil.gov.

Your ballot can be returned to the election authority by mail or delivered in person. In person delivery can be by either the voter or by any person authorized by the voter.

If delivered, the ballot must be received by the election authority prior to the polls closing at 7 p.m. on Election Day. If mailed, it must be postmarked by Election Day.

What's On The April 6 Ballot

You can check out who is on your ballot by entering your address into the McHenry County sample ballot locator online.

School district races are packed this election. District 47 has seven candidates running for four open seats and District 158 has nine candidates hoping to grab one of four open seats.

As for referenda, McHenry County voters living in McHenry Township will see this question on their ballots:

Shall the Road District of the Township of McHenry be abolished with all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities being assumed by the Township of McHenry?

Staying Safe During COVID

County voting stations are regularly sanitized, hand sanitizer is readily available for voters, and physical distancing measures are in place to protect voters and poll workers, according to the McHenry County Clerk's Office.

Follow Along On Election Night

Patch.com will be covering local elections on April 6. Be sure to follow us on Facebookand sign up for our newsletters and breaking news updates so you can get the latest.