Elections

Registering to vote allows individuals to participate in elections and provides the opportunity to help decide who will serve in elected office. It is unlawful for any person to vote at any primary, general, consolidated, or special election unless such person is at the time of such election a registered voter.

Voter registration is accepted year-round, except during the 27 days prior to any election when voter registration is closed.

To register to vote you need to meet the following requirements:

• You MUST be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be 18 years of age ON or BEFORE the date of the NEXT GENERAL ELECTION or 17 years of age to vote in a Primary Election if the
• individual will be 18 ON or BEFORE the date of the General Election.
• You MUST be a resident of your precinct at least 30 days prior to election day.
• You MUST not be convicted and in jail.
• You MUST not claim the right to vote anywhere else.

Acceptable Forms of Identification:

Two forms of identification are required to become registered. One must show your name and current address. The second form must show your name.

• Illinois driver’s license/ID Card
• Employee or student ID
• Credit Card
• Social Security card
• Birth certificate
• Utility bill in applicant’s name
• Valid U.S. Passport
• Public Aid ID Card
• Lease or Rental Contract
• Any piece of mail delivered to you at your residence

Ways to Register to Vote in Richland County:

• You may register to vote in person at the Richland County Clerk’s office during regular business hours. Our office is located at 103 W Main St, Olney, IL.
• You may register in person with any deputy registrar of either political party.
• You may register to vote online through the Illinois State Board of Elections. Registering online is easy and safe. Once you have completed the required information, it is transmitted from the State Board of Elections to the County Clerk’s office. We verify the information and send you a voter registration card. Online voter registration application is available here.
• You may also download a voter registration form online, complete it, and mail it to the County Clerk’s office. Note: When registering to vote by mail you must vote in person the first time either at your polling place or by casting a ballot in the County Clerk’s Office. Please be sure to read the important information section on the mail-in application carefully and print legibly.

When submitting a voter registration application:

• Fill out the entire application.
• Sign the application.
• It is required to return the completed application in person OR mail
• The voter registration application CANNOT be sent electronically.
  Mail-in voter registration applications are available here.

If You Change Your Address:

• If you are currently registered to vote in Richland County and have moved within the county, you may change/update your voter registration by completing the information on the reverse side of our voter registration card. Then return the card to the County Clerk’s office. If you have misplaced your voter’s card, contact the County Clerk’s office at (618) 392-3111
• If you are currently registered to vote in Richland County and have moved outside the county, you MUST re-register with the local election authority in your new county of residence.

If You Change Your Name:

• A person who changes his/her name must re-register to vote.

Cancellation of Voter Registration:

Once a citizen is registered to vote his/her name is to remain on the registration roster as long as they remain eligible to vote in the election jurisdiction. Removal of a voter’s name from the list of registered voters or cancellation of their registration may only be for the following reasons:

• Request of the voter – This must be done in writing that their name be removed from the voter registration files or a voter may acknowledge that they no longer reside in that election jurisdiction.
• Incarceration – If a voter is incarcerated pursuant to a conviction of a crime, the registration may be canceled.
• Death – If the election authority receives proof of the death of a registered voter, the registration may be canceled.

Am I Registered to Vote?

Check your Voter Registration status by clicking this link:  Voter registration lookup
You will also find information on current elections, your polling place, voting districts, and current elected officials.

Need content from Richland County

If you are unable to vote in person at the polling place on election day, you may vote by mail. Vote by mail is available prior to each election. This voting option allows registered voters to cast their ballot without having to go to the polling place. The ballots are then tabulated on election night. Vote by mail is a safe and secure way to vote for any election.

If you spoil your vote by mail ballot in any manner, you may return the entire ballot to the Effingham County Clerk’s office and request a new ballot.

PLEASE NOTE: In order for your ballot to be counted, your ballot must be postmarked NO later than Election Day and received within 14 days following the Election Day. Interested voters may apply for a vote by mail ballot prior to the election by completing a vote by mail application.

Application to Vote by Mail (Need Link) – General Election – November 5, 2024.

Vote by Mail Instructions (Need Link)

To check the status of your vote by mail ballot, click here. 

Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act

MOVE ACT

The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act was enacted in October 2009.  The goal of the MOVE Act is to allow easier ballot access to the men and women in uniform by providing new tools which allow more time to participate in the electoral process.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program also helps uniformed service members and their families in the voting process, but includes U.S. citizens living outside the U.S. as well. Both programs help to assist voters in the electoral process.

Important Dates:

• Friday, September 20th  – first day vote by mail ballots for military and overseas voters can be mailed
• Monday, October 7th – last day a military or overseas voter can request a vote by mail ballot
• Tuesday, November 5th – Election Day – last day any vote by mail ballot can be postmarked to the Clerk’s Office
• Tuesday, November 18th – last day any vote by mail ballot can be received at the Clerk’s Office to be counted in the General Election

How to request your ballot as a Military or Overseas voter:

• The most secure option is to utilize the Illinois MOVE site. After making an account, voters can register, request a vote by mail ballot, and update their contact info as needed. This site was designed to help ease the burden of members of the Uniformed Services (and their eligible dependents) and overseas voters with their vote by mail ballot application. This site will give you the ability to keep in contact with your local election official and to track the status of your application and ballot. Go to https://move.elections.il.gov to create your account.
• You may also visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website at www.fvap.gov for information on voting by mail registration and voting process. Ensure that you have applied for your vote by mail ballot using the hard copy or on-line versions of FPCA.

Requirements:

• Returned ballots must be postmarked no later than midnight preceding the Election
• Ballots must be received within 14 days after the election to be counted.

Grace Period allows for the registration of voters and for the change of address during the period from the close of registration. Grace Period is available for 27 days before an election and on Election Day. During this period, an unregistered elector may register to vote or submit a change of address ONLY in person at the Richland County Clerk’s office. The voter must fulfill the same requirements to register to vote and provide ID. Grace Period registrations must register AND vote early at the same time. Please note that once a voter cast a grace period ballot, the vote cast is final and may not be revoked and the voter is not eligible to case a vote on Election Day.

Grace Period Registration and Voting for the November 5, 2024, General Elections begins on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, and ends on Tuesday, November 4, 2024.