Voters in Will, Grundy counties can request mail-in ballots beginning Wednesday

Will County — With fewer than 100 days to the Nov. 5 general election, Illinois voters will soon be able to request mail-in ballots.

Starting Aug. 7, voters can submit an application to the county clerk’s office by mail, online, or in person to receive a mail-in ballot.

Ballots will be sent out starting Sept. 26 and can then be mailed in with the included pre-paid envelope through the USPS, or physically turned in at a designated location. In-person early voting also begins Sept. 26.

The dates for early and mail-in voting have not been impacted by the recent change in the Democratic ticket for president and vice president following President Joe Biden’s announcement that he is dropping his reelection bid.

Mail-in ballot applications must be received by Oct. 31 in order to arrive at the voter’s home by mail in time, although it is recommended to request a ballot earlier in the process, especially for residents who are staying out of state, like college students.

According to the Will County Clerk’s Office, voters who are sick or hospitalized can still request a mail-in ballot until Nov. 4, but it needs to be requested in-person at the clerk’s office by an immediate family member who also will be responsible for mailing or dropping off the ballot.

All mail-in ballots must be dropped off at the county clerk’s office or a mail-ballot drop box by 7 p.m. on election day or be post-marked by election day and arrive within 14 days of the election to be officially counted.

Will County residents have nine drop box locations available to submit their mail-in ballots including:

• Will County Clerk’s Office, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet.
• Joliet Public Library Black Road Branch, 3395 Black Road.
• Plainfield Public Library, 5025 S. Illinois St.
• White Oak Library in Lockport, 121 E. 8th St.
• Wilmington Public Library, 201 S. Kankakee St.
• 95th Street Library in Naperville, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive.
• Fountaindale Public Library, 300 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook.
• Frankfort Public Library, 21119 S Pfeiffer Road.
• Governors State University main building,1 University Pkwy., University Park.

Specific hours and dates of availability for each drop box location will be available on the county website once ballots are available. All ballots are picked up nightly from the drop boxes and taken to the county clerk’s office.

Voters in Kendall and Grundy counties can drop off their mail-in ballots in person using designated drop boxes at county buildings.

In Grundy County, the drop box is on the west side of the county courthouse at 111 E. Washington St. in Morris. The Kendall County drop box location is in the county office building at 111 W. Fox St. in Yorkville.

Illinois residents do not need to give a reason to vote by mail but must be registered to vote before requesting a mail-in ballot.

Registration can be done up to the day of the election for U.S. citizens age 18 and older. Seventeen-year-olds who will be 18 by election day also are eligible to register in Illinois.