How to Vote!

1. Know Where You Can Vote!

If you show up to vote at the wrong place you may not be allowed to vote, or you may be given a provisional ballot.
Call 1-866-OURVOTE to find out where you can vote, or visit www.mypollingplace.com or at www.co.lake.il.us/cntyclk/elections/voterservices/pollingplace.asp.

2. Know When You Can Vote!

Call 1-866-OURVOTE to find out when your polling place opens and closes, or visit www.mypollingplace.com.

3. Bring ID such as a Drivers License or State ID!

You need to bring two pieces of current identification (one MUST list your current address).

Samples of acceptable forms of ID:

Illinois driver's license or State of Illinois ID
Utility bill (phone, gas, electric or water) to prove your place of residence addressed to applicant at legal address postmarked no more than 30 days prior
Contract service bill to prove your place of residence addressed to applicant at legal address postmarked no more than 30 days prior
Paycheck stub to prove your place of residence.
Personalized check for checking account
Military, employee, student or welfare identification
Certified copy of birth certificate
Social security card or veteran's administration patient card
Valid passport
Civic, union or professional membership card
Check cashing card
Library or insurance card
Certified copy of marriage license or divorce papers
Naturalization papers.

4. Get Help!

• Voters with limited English proficiency and those with disabilities have the right to bring a family member or friend into the polling booth to assist them. Voters in some areas have the right to bilingual voter assistance.

• If you experience someone harassing you, if have any questions, concerns or experience problems voting, you may want to get help. Ask to speak to a nonpartisan poll monitor. Or Call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR VOTE where lawyers will be standing by to provide immediate, on-the-spot assistance.

• Spanish voting assistance is available at 1-888-839-8682, sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Council of La Raza, and Univision.

• Voting assistance in several Asian languages is available at 1-800-966-5946, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund's National Voter Complaint Hotline.

5. Know Your Rights!

• No voter can be turned away without being allowed to vote. If you believe that you are registered to vote, you have the right to a provisional ballot. This is a special ballot. After local election officials check to find out that you are eligible to vote, they will add your ballot to the others and count it.

• If you are in line before the polls close, you are legally entitled to vote.  Do not let poll workers close the poll until you have vote