Early voting begins this week

Early voting for the Nov. 4 general election begins today for DuPage County residents and Tuesday for Will County residents. Early voting for both DuPage and Will county residents ends Oct. 30.

Since 2005, Illinois state law gives all residents 18 days to cast an early vote and requires each election commission to staff at least one early voting site. Unlike absentee voting, a voter is not required to state a reason for early voting.

The registered voter visits an early voting site and shows a photo ID. Election workers then verify the voter's registration status through a central database. Once the voter has been validated, the database is updated to reflect it, which prevents the voter from voting at another location. Once an early vote has been cast, the vote is final. The voter may not go to the polling place on Election Day to change a vote. All early votes will be tabulated after the polls close on Election Day.

Early voting for DuPage County residents will take place in Naperville in Meeting Room A of the Municipal Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Oct. 25. A full list of early voting locations throughout the county is available at www.dupageelections.com.

Will County residents who reside in Naperville can visit the Will County clerk's office to take part in early voting or visit the city clerk's office at the Municipal Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Oct. 25. Absentee voting will also be held from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 1.

Will County residents who wish to vote early must visit the specified early voting site near where they reside because local clerks are only supplied with ballots for the residents who live within their limits. A full list of locations is available at www.willclrk.com/earlyvoting.htm.