College Students Encouraged to Vote by Mail

Lake County Clerk Willard Helander urges families to have their college students temporarily away at school enroll in the Temporarily Absent Student Voting by Mail program. Those enrolled will automatically receive an application for ballot by mail at their school mailing address for the elections they specify. Illinois law requires individuals voting by mail to complete an application for ballot for each election, and a ballot will be mailed to the voter only after the clerk receives the signed application. 

To enroll in the program, a fillable form can be downloaded from the Lake County Clerk's website or can also be requested by contacting the Elections Department at VotingByMail@lakecountyil.gov or 847-377-2406. Program enrollment is effective for a two-year period, and each summer the Lake County Clerk's office confirms the student's college address for the next school year.

Who qualifies? Take the easy County Clerk quiz: Are you registered to vote in Lake County? Do you attend school outside of Lake County? If you answered yes to both questions, you can sign up for the convenient program to automatically receive an application for ballot at your school address.

"This program helps students who might otherwise not remember to vote," Helander said. "With demanding schedules in college, students are encouraged by the Clerk's office to take advantage of this easy enrollment option."
 
Students not registered to vote may do so at the County Clerk's office, 18 N. County St., Room 101, Waukegan, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 7:30 p.m. on most Fridays. On Fridays before a holiday, the Clerk's office closes at 5 p.m. Many convenient locations throughout Lake County also offer registration including libraries, schools, or township and municipal offices. For more information about how or where to register to vote, please visit the Elections Info tab on LakeCountyClerk.info or call the Voter Registration Department at 847-377-2410.

Visit LakeCountyClerk.info for more information about County Clerk services and current election news. You can follow social media updates at twitter.com/ClerkWillard and facebook.com/CountyClerk. For e-newsletter subscription, click the envelope icon at LakeCountyClerk.info or call 847-377-2400.