DuPage clerk: Don't procrastinate when it comes to mail-in voting

DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek is urging voters to apply this week if they want to cast their ballots by mail for the Nov. 3 election.

The deadline to submit a mail-in ballot application is Oct. 29, though election authorities and state leaders have recommended voters apply "much earlier" so clerk's offices have sufficient time to deliver the ballot, according to a news release from Kaczmarek's office.

Voters also are encouraged to fill out and return their ballots as soon as possible.

As of this week, mail-in ballots have been sent to nearly 200,000 of DuPage's 641,506 registered voters, Kaczmarek said.

Mailed ballots take about seven to 10 days to be delivered after an application is received. Voters can deliver their mail-in ballots to a U.S. Postal Service mailbox, the county clerk's election office, or one of the hundreds of drop boxes available throughout DuPage.

Voters are encouraged to sign up for BallotTrax at dupage.ballottrax.net/voter/ to track and receive alerts about their ballot status.

"Mail ballot voting is a challenge for procrastinators," Kaczmarek said. "More people than ever are choosing to vote by mail this election, so whether you complete a mail ballot application online or sign and return your application by mail, get it done today."

Early voting takes place every day this week through Saturday at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. Starting Monday, 18 additional early voting sites will open with touch screen voting.

Additional information about early and mail-in voting is available on the clerk's website at dupageco.org/Election/Voting/.