Absentee Ballot Rules For March 18 Election

The month of March is just five days away.

Yes, that means there is an Election Day on the horizon—this one--March 18--is a General Primary Election.

McHenry County Clerk, Katherine C. Schultz, announced that voters may make application for an absentee ballot for the March 18 General Primary Election.

The first day to apply was Thursday, February 6 and the last day for the County Clerk’s Office to receive applications by mail is Thursday, March 13.

Absentee ballots mailed to individuals must be voted, post marked prior to Election Day and received no later than the 14^th day after the election.

Persons may apply for an absentee ballot by mail--McHenry County Clerk, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098.

Applications for absentee voting may be obtained by calling 815-334-4242 or downloaded from the County Clerk’s website:

There are a few laws which must be followed:

A candidate whose name is on the ballot is prohibited from assisting a physically disabled absentee voter unless the candidate is the spouse, parent, brother or sister of the voter,” Schultz explains.

“Also, no one other than the absentee voter shall deposit the absentee ballot in the mail,” she added.

An absentee ballot may be delivered “in person” to the County ‘Clerk’s Office, by either the voter or by a spouse, parent, child, brother or sister of the voter. If the ballot is delivered by any of the aforesaid persons, written authorization from the voter must also be provided. A ballot may also be delivered to the Clerk’s office by an authorized delivery service.

A voter who was issued an absentee ballot, by mail, may surrender his unvoted absentee ballot on Election Day, at the polling site and vote in person .

Schultz noted that individuals, who register to vote by mail, must provide sufficient proof of identity. Any person, who registered by mail, who has never voted in McHenry County before, and is requesting an absentee ballot through the mail, must provide sufficient proof of identity, to allow the election authority to verify the voter’s identity, prior to the mailing of an absentee ballot, or the absentee voter may vote “in person” at the McHenry County Administration Building, Room 107, with one exception: any voter who is voting under the provisions of the uniformed and overseas citizen absentee voting act, who registered by mail, may vote absentee by mail.

Further information may be obtained by calling 815-334-4242 or the Illinois Board of Election at 217-782-4141 in Springfield or 312-814-6440 in Chicago.

“In person” absentee voting will be conducted

McHenry County Administration Building
667 Ware Road Room 107
Woodstock, IL.
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.