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Accessible voting





It is your right to vote privately and independently. Please call the Illinois County Clerk's office at 217-799-6173 with questions or suggestions about accessible voting in Illinois County.

Voting by mail





Voting by mail, or absentee voting, gives all registered voters the opportunity to vote without having to travel to a voting location.

Learn more about the vote-by-mail process in Illinois County.

Accessible voting locations





Voting locations must be made accessible for all people, regardless of ability. Under State and Federal law, all voters must be given the same opportunity for access and participation in the voting process.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from receiving unequal treatment within state and local government services, programs, and activities. (ADA, Title II)  This law protects your right to vote by making sure that voters with disabilities have access to:

  • Accessible parking
  • An accessible route to the entrance
  • An accessible entrance
  • An accessible route to the voting area
  • Voting procedures
  • Voting machines


The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) protects the right of people with disabilities to vote by making sure that:

  • Voting locations are easy to get to and to use.
  • People who are blind or have problems seeing get the help they need.
  • Voting is private and personal.
  • Each polling location has an accessible voting machine.


Learn more about the voting locations in Illinois County.

Accessible voting machines





Every voting location is required to have a voting machine that is ADA-compliant. These machines include features like audio ballots, large print/zoom features, and height and tilt adjustments on the screens.  Please let the election workers know if you have questions or need assistance with the voting machine.

Any Illinois County voter can use a touchscreen electronic voting device. This is an electronic recording device designed for use by people who are unable to personally mark an optical scan ballot due to physical impairments or language barriers.

To mark your ballot using the touchscreen voting device:

  1. Insert the voting card given to you by the election officials into the voting machine. A voting technician is at the precinct to assist you if requested.
  2. Review the instructions (audio options are available), hit Next to proceed to the ballot.
  3. Make your candidate selections. Select candidates by touching their names, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate and touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
  4. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page long.
  5. Once you reach the last page of your ballot, a review screen automatically appears. This screen will list only the candidates and choices that you have selected to vote for.
  6. To make changes, touch the screen for the desired contest and the page for that contest will automatically appear.
  7. When you've reviewed your choices, touch the the button to Review a Paper Record of your Ballot.
  8. Your selections will be recorded on the printer. At this point you can choose to either make changes or cast your ballot.
  9. When you are ready, make the selection to Cast Ballot. Your votes will be recorded and the voting card will be returned to you. Please return the voting card to the election officer and they will give you an "I Voted" sticker.

Casting your ballot





Instructions for marking and casting your ballot are posted in each voting location. If you have any questions about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked a ballot, contact an election official for instructions.

Assistance at the voting location





If you need assistance, you may bring someone with you to help you vote, or you may ask for assistance from the election officials. You may ask anyone to help you vote, except for the following people:


  • Your employer
  • An agent of your employer
  • An agent of your union


You may also get help in marking your ballot from trained election officials. Whomever helps you vote cannot tell you how to mark your ballot or provide information to others about how you voted.

An affidavit must be signed by you and the person assisting you.

Signing election documents





If you are unable to sign your own name and have no other legal mark, make an "X," if possible, on the signature line.

If you are unable to make an "X," you must indicate in some manner to the person assisting you that you want to sign your name. The person helping you must sign the election form and attest that you indicated that you want to sign the election form.

Curbside voting





If you are unable to enter the voting place, you may vote curbside. Trained election officials will bring a ballot to you. You may sit in your car and vote, or you may vote at the door of the building.

Important: The Illinois County election office must receive your written request to vote curbside by 5:00 p.m. the day before the election. The written request must include your:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Precinct
  • Ward
  • Polling place
  • The hour you expect to arrive at your polling place
  • Cell phone number, if available

When you arrive to your polling place on Election Day two election officials of opposite political parties will bring you a ballot. You will mark your ballot privately, the election officials will deliver your marked ballot into the polling place, then return your voting receipt to you.

If you cannot file your written request before Election Day, you may still go to your polling place and request to vote curbside. If there are questions, please contact the Illinois County election office at (217) 799-6173.