Illinois early voting begins, what to know about mail-in ballots

QUINCY (WGEM) – Thursday marked the official start of Election 2024 with the commencement of early voting in the Land of Lincoln. Voters who are registered to vote by mail will soon receive their ballot.

In Adams County specifically, Ryan Niekamp, the Adams County Clerk, said about 1,300 mail-in ballots will be sent out. In 2020, he said more than 6,000 were sent out.

“It’s still definitely not the number one way to vote in Adams County,” Niekamp said.

When a voter who is registered to vote by mail, they will receive several envelopes. Niekamp said each one has a purpose, so don’t throw them away.

Once the mail-in ballot is complete, it needs to be put into the certification envelope and then signed. Without it being signed and sealed, Niekamp said it can’t be accepted by the election judges at the courthouse.

”If you’re wanting to wait to decide how you’re going to vote and you want to mail it back to us, it has to be postmarked by the date of the election, so March 19, it has to be postmarked for it to be accepted,” he said.

All requests by mail must be received by the Election Authority by March 14. Voters can also be added to a permanent vote by mail list. In Adams County, mail-in ballots can also be dropped off at the courthouse.

For further information on early voting and mail-in voting in Adams County, click here. Niekamp said voters can still register for the mail-in option.

Click here for WGEM’s Election 2024: Voter Information page.

Early voting begins in Illinois Thursday

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