ABSENTEE VOTING

ABSENTEE VOTING

What is Absentee Voting?
Absentee voting is the process of casting a bal= lot prior to Election Day.

Who can vote by Absentee Ballot?

Registered voters in the City of East St. Louis are eligible to cast an absentee ballot by applying for such ballot as described below.

How do I obtain an absentee ballot?

A voter must submit an Application for Absentee Ballot** before a ballot is issued. The application may be submitted = in person or by mail.

The Board of Elections office must receive the Application for Absentee Ballot no later than the Thursday before an electi= on for a ballot to be mailed back to the voter.

Can I vote absentee in person instead of by mai= l?

After printed ballots are available for any election (usually about a month before the election), absentee voting can be done in person in the office of the Board of Elections until the end of off= ice hours the day before any election, including from 9 a.m. until noon on the Saturday before the election.

Are there alternatives to absentee voting?

Voters should check the Early Voting dates to s= ee if that could be an option for them. These dates are available on the home page, or by calling our office at 618-398-3778.

How and when will absentee ballots be counted?<= /span>

Absentee ballots are counted by election judges= on election day in ballot tabulating equipment just like ballots at the polls. To be counted, absentee ballots must be returned in person before the close of polls on election day; or postmarked before midn= ight on the day before the election, and arrive by mail in the office within 14 = days after the election. Absentee ballots returned late but not under these conditions are not counted.

How do I obtain an Absentee Ballot Application?=

· = Call us and the Board of Elections will mail yo= u an Application for Absentee Ballot preprinted with your voter information. OR<= /span>

· = Print a blank application form below**, complet= e, and mail to our office. OR

· = Come to our office and complete an application.= The ballot will be mailed when it is available about a month before the election.

I am permanently disabled. Can I vote an absentee ballot in every election?

For further information about being included on= the permanently disabled list of voters for automatic absentee balloting, conta= ct:

The Board of Election Commissioners
8740 State Street, Suite 2= 00

East St. Louis, Illinois 62203

Phone 618-398-3778
Fax 618-398= -4125

ABSENTEE VOTING APPLICATION

Registered voters who live within= the corporate city limits of East St. Louis<= /st1:City>, Illinois ONLY mail the form= to us. OR call 618-398-3778 and we will send you a preprinted absentee application by mail.

Others should contact their local election authorities. St. Clair Cou= nty voters who live outside the city limits of East St. Louis should contact the St. C= lair County Clerk's office at 618-277-6600.

**For APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE VOTER'S BALLOT which you can print on your printer, click here. Fill out and mail to Bo= ard of Election Commissioners, 87= 40 State Street, East St. Louis, Illinois 62203.

(The Form is in PDF format; you must have a PDF= Reader to view the form. To get Adobe Acrobat Reader free online, click here= : )

MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS

Military and overseas voters - see U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program online at http://www.fvap.gov/ for instructions on registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots as well as the forms necessary to do so.