Cook County Clerk David Orr reminds suburban Cook County residents that the deadline to register to vote in the March 15 Presidential Primary Election is Tuesday, Feb. 16.
“Registering to vote is easier than ever now,” Orr said. “I urge Cook County residents to take advantage of the opportunities available to register and to check their voter registration status, all of which they can now do online.”
Suburban Cook County voters can verify their registration status by using the Voter Information tool at cookcountyclerk.com/voterinfo, or at m.cookcountyclerk.com if using a smartphone or tablet. The tool also gives voters their polling place information and sample ballot.
Any voter who needs to register can do so online by visiting cookcountyclerk.com/rtv.
Young voters especially are encouraged to register to vote. This is the first Presidential Election in which 17-year-olds in Illinois can register and vote in the primary if they will be 18 years old by the date of the General Election, Nov. 8, 2016.
The Clerk’s Office has been conducting voter registration events and activities almost daily, all over Cook County. Clerk’s office staff have registered nearly 3,000 high school students in just the past few months.
Orr encourages suburban Cook County residents to check the voter tool at cookcountyclerk.com/elections to make sure their voter registration information is correct and up-to-date. Voters can also find out where their polling place or nearest early voting location is and view sample ballot through the site.
Any voter with a driver’s license or state ID can register to vote online. If you don’t have a driver’s license or state ID, just fill out a form online, print, sign, and mail it in. Residents may also register in person by visiting the Clerk’s downtown office (69 W. Washington St., Fifth floor, Chicago), a municipal or township office, or one of the Clerk’s five suburban courthouse locations:
• Southwest suburbs: 10220 S. 76th Ave., Room 238, Bridgeview
• South suburbs: 16501 S. Kedzie Ave., Room 238, Markham
• West suburbs: 1311 Maybrook Square, Room 104, Maywood
• Northwest suburbs: 2121 Euclid Ave., Room 238, Rolling Meadows
• North suburbs: 5600 W. Old Orchard Road, Room 149, Skokie
In order to register, applicants must have two pieces of identification, including one containing a current address.
Qualified applicants must be a United States citizen, at least 18 years old by the Nov. 8 election, and a resident of his or her precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election.
There are other opportunities to register to vote if the Feb. 16 deadline is missed, but they may not be as convenient for all voters, as they involve travel to a voting site and if a voter registers after the 16th, otherwise known as “grace period,” they will have to vote in-person at the time they register.
