Where, when and how to vote in McHenry County

Early voting: now through Nov. 2

Any McHenry County voter can vote at any of the County Clerk's 12 early-voting sites. One has been open since Thursday, Sept. 24: the McHenry County Election Center, 410 S. Eastwood Drive, Woodstock, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The other 11 open Monday, Oct. 19.

From Oct. 19, the Election Center and six other sites are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19-23; 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 26-30; 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31; 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1; and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. The six are Lake in the Hills Village Hall, the Algonquin Township Garage in Crystal Lake (Building 6B), Crystal Lake Public Library, McHenry City Hall, the Nunda Township Office in Crystal Lake and the McHenry Township Office in Johnsburg.

Three sites, the Huntley Park District, Algonquin Library and the Cary Park District, are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays from Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31. Two more, the Dunham Township Office in Harvard and Marengo City Hall, keep the same weekday hours and are open 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 31, but not Oct. 24. No site is open Sunday, Oct. 25.

Some sites ask you to use a particular door: the rear entrance only at Marengo City Hall, the downstairs entrance at the Nunda Township Office, the City Council entrance at McHenry City Hall and the south entrance at the Huntley Park District.

Not registered, or moved? You can register and vote the same day at the Election Center or any early-voting site, or on Election Day at the Election Center or your own polling place.

Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can vote at your own precinct's polling place, one of 91 in the county, or at the McHenry County Election Center, 410 S. Eastwood Drive, Woodstock, which serves every precinct. If you're in line at 7 p.m., you can still vote. Enter your address in the guide above to find your polling place.

Voting by mail

Applications for a mail ballot must reach the County Clerk's office by Thursday, Oct. 29. You can apply by email, by mail or in person; the application is on the Clerk's vote-by-mail page.

Return your ballot by mail, postmarked by Election Day; it must arrive by Nov. 17. A mailed ballot needs postage. Or put it in a drop box: the County Clerk's 24/7 drop box at the McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, takes ballots until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Six early-voting sites also have a drop box inside the voting room, open while the site is: the Election Center, Lake in the Hills Village Hall, the Algonquin Township Garage, Crystal Lake Public Library, the McHenry Township Office and the Dunham Township Office.

Asked for a mail ballot but want to vote in person? Bring it to an early-voting site or your polling place and surrender it to an election judge.

If there's a problem with your ballot's envelope, the Clerk's office will contact you; you have 14 days after the election, until Tuesday, Nov. 17, to fix it. Questions about mail ballots: 815-334-4242.

What to bring

You don't need ID to vote in McHenry County if you're already registered. If you're registering when you vote, bring two forms of ID, one showing your current address.

Getting there

Where a Pace bus stop or Metra station is within a quarter-mile of an early-voting site or polling place, the guide names it and the routes that serve it, and the directions links open your maps app with transit directions. Most sites have no Pace or Metra stop that close.

Accessibility

Illinois law lets a voter who needs help bring someone to assist them, or ask two election judges, one from each major party. For other help voting with a disability, call the County Clerk's office at 815-334-4242.

About this guide

Early-voting sites, drop boxes and polling places come from the McHenry County Clerk; precincts, County Board districts and address points from McHenry County's GIS; congressional and legislative districts and map geography from the U.S. Census Bureau; stops and routes from Pace's and Metra's published timetables. The Chicago Messenger is not affiliated with the McHenry County Clerk. Confirm details at mchenrycountyil.gov.