Early voting begins in Champaign County on Sept. 24

Early voting for the Nov. 3 election will begin in Champaign County on Sept. 24. 

Voters who have not been previously registered or have changed their address, name or signature can register to vote in person until Oct. 6, after which may register during the early voting period through Election Day.

To register to vote by mail, registrations must be postmarked by Oct. 6. Online voter registration will remain open until Oct. 18. 

Early voting is no different than voting on Election Day, which is a holiday in the state of Illinois. 

Voters who have not changed their voter registration address, name or signature since the last election, should not need to show ID. If a voter has updated their voter registration address or name or their signature does not match the one on file, they will be asked for ID. This is the same process if you voted on Election Day.

All votes cast, whether in early voting, by mail or on Election Day are final. Illinois state law prohibits voting twice for any office. 

“Voting more than once. Any person who, having voted once, knowingly during any election where the ballot or machine lists any of the same candidates and issues listed on the ballot or machine previously used for voting by that person, (a) files an application to vote in the same or another polling place, or (b) accepts a ballot or enters a voting machine (except to legally give assistance pursuant to the provisions of this code), shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony; however, if a person has delivered a ballot or ballots to an election authority as a vote by mail voter and due to a change of circumstances is able to and does vote in the precinct of his residence on election day, shall not be deemed to be in violation of this code,” (10 ILCS 5/29-5).

In Champaign County, early voting will be open at the Brookens Administrative Center Gymnasium from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday from Sept. 24 to Oct. 18. On Oct. 19 extended early voting hours at Brookens will run from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday until Nov. 2.

On Oct. 19, other early voting sites in Champaign County will open Monday-Friday from 10AM-6PM and Saturday from 10AM-3PM, & Sunday from 1PM-5PM until Nov. 2.

Those sites include:

• Activities and Recreation (ARC) – 201 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820
• Illini Union – 1401 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801
• Lake of the Woods, Elk’s Pavilion, 301 Senna Drive, Mahomet, IL 61853
• Leonhard Recreation Center, 2307 Sangamon Drive, Champaign, IL 61821
• Meadowbrook Community Church, 1902 South Duncan Road, Champaign, IL 61822
• Parkland College, Student Life Center, 2400 W Bradley, Champaign, IL 61821
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 East Douglas Street, St. Joseph, IL 61873
• The Church of the Living God, 312 East Bradley Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820
• The Gathering Place (First United Methodist Church), 200 South Century Boulevard, Rantoul, IL 61866
• Tolono Public Library, 111 East Main Street, Tolono, IL 61880
• University YMCA, 1001 S Wright St, Champaign, IL 61821

To view a sample ballot click here.