Manhattan Voter Guide 2020: Village Voting Reminders

MANHATTAN, IL — Early voting for the Nov. 3 General Election is underway in Manhattan.

Manhattan and Manhattan Township residents can take part in early voting at the meeting room inside Manhattan Village Hall, 260 Market Place, through Oct. 30.

According to the Village of Manhattan, early voting runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The village provides several bits of information for residents to know before going to vote, and has provided a polling location diagram (see here):

• Doors open at 8:30am and all ballots must be counted by 11:30am. Voting opens back up at 12:30pm. Ballots must be counted by 4:30pm.
• We are averaging 3 minutes a person and have seating for 15 in room. The average wait time has been 30 minutes. Anticipate the wait time will rise as we come closer to the 30th.
• Masks are required for entry.
• We have a hand sanitizer station for voters to use.
• Pens are provided at the booths but if you wish to bring a pen, it MUST be Black ballpoint ink (not gel or marker).
• If you asked for a mail-in ballot but plan to vote in person, you MUST bring in the mail-in ballot to surrender to vote in person.
• When you enter the room, please have a seat in the first available chair. Once the voter leaves the ballot printing room, the next voter in line can come right in. Then the seated voters need to move along to the next chair.
• No photo ID or voter’s card is required for Early Voting. But your signature must match the voter file, if it doesn’t, you will need to prove your identity. Best way is to show a photo ID.
• The ballot is double-sided, if you wish to leave anything blank, the ballot will still be accepted. Once you have made your selections, the ballot counters are by the exit door and the ballots should be entered with ‘Official Ballot’ face up and in the machine first.
• We can only use the equipment and software provided by the Will County Clerk’s Office. That equipment includes 1 computer and 1 printer for staff to verify voters and print ballots. For Early Voting, ballots cannot be pre-printed. Unlike Election day, all staffing is handled by the Village of Manhattan and no additional resources are provided by the Will County Clerk’s office.

According to the Will County Clerk's Office, Will County voters may cast a ballot before Election Day at one of these Will County Clerk's many Early Voting locations.

RELATED:

• Vote-By-Mail Ballot Boxes In Will Co. To Help Democracy 'Thrive'
• Election 2020 Early Voting In Manhattan
• Your Guide To Voting In Illinois
• First Congressional District: Bobby Rush Earns Nomination

Local races include the race for a spot in Illinois's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives between Bobby Rush (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) and Philanise White (Republican Party).

The basics

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Nov. 3 (in person); Oct. 18 (online)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Early voting started: Sept. 24 (ends Nov. 2)
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (postmarked); Nov. 17 (received)

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Voter registration

Not sure if you're already registered to vote? You can find out here.

The deadline to register to vote online is Sunday, Oct 18 (the postmark deadline to register by mail was Oct. 6).

Voter Registration 2020 In Illinois: 5 Things To Know

If you're voting by mail

• Voting by mail is available to all Illinois voters before Election Day. Voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot through the mail or in person.
• Everyone who has voted in any election since November 2018, and who has registered to vote or has updated their voter registration since March 18, 2018, was sent an application to request a vote-by-mail ballot.
• The first day to file an application to vote by mail was June 16. The last day is Oct. 29.
• Voters can file their application to vote by mail online by sending it via mail to their county clerk's office or by dropping it off in person at the county clerk's office.

What to do with your mail-in ballot

• Ballots will come with a return envelope and can be returned by mail.
• 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 their voting jurisdiction. (Find a list below)
• Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, or they will not be counted. If a ballot envelope is placed in a mail drop box on or near Election Day, that envelope may be postmarked late and will not be eligible to be counted.

Where are the mail-in ballot drop boxes?

• Suburban Cook County
• Chicago/Cook County
• DuPage County: Drop box at the parking lot and main entrance of the Jack T. Knuepfer Administration Building, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton, or any DuPage County early voting site and polling place. List of early voting sites and polling places here.
• Kane County
• Kendall County
• Lake County
• McHenry County: McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock
• Will County — (See above for Manhattan's)

Voting in person

• 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
• Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you still have the right to cast your ballot
• Where to vote: Find your polling place here (you can also find this and a sample ballot on your county clerk's website).
• Staying safe: Aside from wearing a mask and staying 6 feet away from other voters, you can also minimize risk by voting early to avoid long lines to vote.

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

What and who are on the ballot?

• Fair tax amendment: This "yes or no" ballot initiative will ask voters to approve a change to the state constitution that will allow lawmakers to set a graduated income tax rather than the flat tax that currently exits.
• 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.
• U.S. Senate: Incumbent Democrat Dick Durban 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.
• See above for local races.

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