Election In Libertyville: Everything You Need To Know

LIBERTYVILLE, IL —Today is the day to get out and cast your ballot if you haven't already. It's hard to say how packed the polls will be as a record number of voters have requested mail-in ballots in Lake County this election and early voting has also been popular.

For those planning to head to the polls, the Lake County Clerk's Office is assuring voters that precautions have been taken to stop the spread of COVID-19. Remember to wear a mask and be respectful and keep your distance from others if you have to wait in a line.

Check back to Libertyville Patch for more updates as the election nears. Sign up for our newsletters at and follow us on Facebook and Patch editor Amie Schaenzer on Twitter.

Here's what you need to know if you will be among those heading to the polls.

• Long Wait Times At Lake Co. Polls As Thousands Cast Ballots

The Basics: Find Your Polling Place, What To Bring

• Where to vote: Find your polling place here (you can also find this and a sample ballot on your county clerk's website).
• If you've voted in Illinois before, you don't need to provide ID to vote
• You may need an ID if:
  • You registered to vote by mail and did not provide ID
  • An election judge challenges your right to vote.
  • If you are also registering to vote or changing your registration address on the day that you vote
• If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you still have the right to cast your ballot

Updated Election News In Illinois via Patch

Voter Registration

Not sure if you're already registered to vote? You can find out here. You can still register in person through Nov. 3. Do you have questions about what you will need to register to vote? Check out this Patch.com article to make sure you are all set: Voter Registration 2020 In Illinois: 5 Things To Know.

If You Still Need To Get Your Mail-In Ballot In

• While you can't request a mail-in ballot on Election Day, you can still return it. All ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, or they will not be counted.
• Those who have concerns about their ballots being shipped via the U.S. Postal Service can also drop off completed ballots at drop boxes in Lake County. The clerk's office has a drop box finder available online.
• Since the drop boxes positioned at the early voting sites must be within sight of election judges, those boxes are inside the building and are only accessible while the voting site is open, according to the Lake County Clerk's Office. The clerk's office encouraged those who are returning their vote by mail ballot at an early voting site to "just walk in to the building and directly to the drop box" —you do not need to stand in line with those who are voting in person.
• There are also four outside drop boxes that are unattended but monitored by video surveillance that is recorded, according to information released by the clerk's office in August. Those drop boxes will be available 24 hours per day and permanently anchored in place. All drop boxes close at 7 p.m. on Election night.

Voting in person: Safety Precautions Amid COVID-19

• Staying safe: Aside from wearing a mask and staying 6 feet away from other voters, the Lake County Clerk's Office also encourages voters to bring their own pen, it should be black or blue and no markers. You can use a disposable stylus for touch-screen ballot marking equipment, according to the Lake County Clerk's Office news release.
• The clerk's office has also placed "sneeze guards between election judges wearing face coverings and voters," instructed election judges to clean common equipment and voting utensils on a regular basis with supplied disinfectant wipes and set up social distance markers at polling places.

You Can Vote Safely In Person Despite Coronavirus. Here's How.

Let Us Know

Our journalists will be working around the clock in the coming days to report on this historical election. And we want to hear about any problems you may encounter that may prevent people from voting — for example, mail ballot delivery problems, voting location changes, long lines, registration problems, purged voter rolls, broken machines and voter intimidation.

You can e-mail Lake County editor Amie Schaenzer at amie.schaenzer@patch.com if you spot something worth looking into.

• Tell Patch If You See Election Shenanigans In Lake Co.

Who's On My Ballot?

Depending on where you live in Grayslake, not every ballot will be the same. You can view your sample ballot by entering your address and information on the county clerk's website.

In addition to voting in presidential, congressional, senatorial and some state and local races, Illinois voters are being asked to vote on the Graduated Income Tax Amendment.

• A "yes" vote supports repealing the state's constitutional requirement that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and instead allow the state to enact legislation for a graduated income tax.
• A "no" vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus continuing to require that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and prohibit a graduated income tax.

Illinois Voters Asked To Decide 'Fair Tax': What You Need To Know

Presidential race: While the ballot contains candidates from the Green party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, American Solidarity party and Libertarian party, it comes down to President Donald Trump/Vice President Mike Pence vs. Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden/U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris. Check out White House Patch for the latest coverage on the election.

And, while she might not be leading in the polls, this year's Libertarian candidate, Jo Jorgensen, is a Lake County native. You can read more about her here: Lake Co. Native Is Libertarian Party's Presidential Pick and follow her on Twitter.

U.S. Senate: Incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin faces off against Republican Mark C. Curran Jr., Willie Wilson (of the Willie Wilson Party), Green party candidate David F. Black and Libertarian Danny Malouf.

• Check out our Illinois elections page for more races to watch and election-related updates as we near Election Day.

Lake County Races To Watch

Lake County State's Attorney: This year's race for the Lake County State's Attorney's seat is expected to be a competitive one. Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim, a Gurnee Republican, is taking on challenger Eric Rinehart, a Highwood Democrat and criminal defense attorney.

Patch Coverage

• Races To Watch In Lake County: State's Attorney, Coroner & More
• Lake County State's Attorney Candidates Face Off At Online Forum
• Patch Candidate Q&A: Mike Nerheim, Lake County State's Attorney
• Lake County State's Attorney Candidates Say Cameras Bring Transparency to Courtroom
• Rummel Vs. Parekh: Lake County Board District 12 Election Preview

Lake County Coroner: One-term Republican Howard Cooper and Democrat Jennifer Banek, a nurse anesthesiologist from Green Oaks, are voters choices this year for Lake County Coroner

Referendum Calling On Merger of Clerk's Office, Recorder's office: Voters will be posed this questions: "Shall the office of the Recorder of Lake County be eliminated on December 1, 2022, by merging that office's duties and responsibilities into the office of the County Clerk of Lake County?"

Lake County Recorder: The main task for the county's recorder in the upcoming four years could be to merge the clerk's office and recorder's office if voters decide the merger should move forward. Both democratic incumbent Mary Ellen Vanderventer of Waukegan and Deerfield Republican Emilia Czyszczon agree that the merger should happen.

Check back to Libertyville Patch for more updates as the election nears. Sign up for our newsletters at and follow us on Facebook and Patch editor Amie on Twitter.

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