2020 General Election How-to
Perhaps one of the most consequential elections of our times is scheduled for November 3, 2020. Chicago Women in Trades believes in democracy and wants to support our members’ participation in the American citizens’ most basic right and responsibility—to cast an educated vote in elections.
In a future post, we’ll explore more about what’s at stake and the issues which directly affect tradeswomen. Here, we’ll simply provide a guide to the mechanics of voting and how things may be different because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether this is your first time voting or you’ve voted in every election for decades, you may have some questions about how to safely cast a vote that counts this year. This guide is meant to give you one place to start finding those answers. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide which method is best for you, but because of the pandemic, we strongly encourage you to use Vote By Mail/Dropbox or Early Voting.
How to participate in the election depends on where you live, so we’ve organized the information and links below by geography. There are separate sections for Illinois and Indiana, and there are different resources for those living in suburban Cook County and the City of Chicago. Be sure to review the section that most specifically describes where you live. Each geographical section includes information on voter registration, voting by mail, polling places, and other considerations. Also, the National AFL-CIO (the federation of unions to which all our Internationals belong) created a website that can be used by any union member in any state to check their registration, find polling places, request a mail-in ballot, and find other information about voting.
Whether you are a seasoned voter or not, we recommend that you verify your voter registration status to avoid any surprises or risk your ballot being invalidated. Note that Illinois has an Automatic Voter Registration policy, so you may be already registered—best to check. Indiana does not have a comparable law. Also, if your name or address has changed, you should update your voter registration.
Note that ballots will be validated by comparing the registration signature to the ballot signature. If you have any concern that your signature when you registered to vote may not match your signature now, contact your Election Authority to find out what you should to do to make sure your vote is counted.
If you are not working or can take the day off work and are at lower risk for severe COVID-19, we also encourage you to support democracy (and get paid) by working in your local polling place on Election Day. Information on how to get involved is also included below.
We sincerely hope that the information below empowers all our members, friends, and allies to get out and vote. Please share this information with your friends, families, and communities.
In solidarity,
Chicago Women in Trades
Policy Committee
Illinois, outside of Chicago and Cook County:
In Illinois, you can register to vote online before 10/18/2020 or in person on or before election day. Anyone who is properly registered to vote can do so by mailed ballot; it is recommended that you request a mailed ballot as soon as possible and before 10/15/2020. Early voting is administered by each jurisdiction, but is generally available 9/24–11/2/2020. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 11/3/2020 and must arrive to be counted by 11/17/2020.
Apply to work on Election Day: contact your local election authority.
Check voter registration status (also gives Election Day Polling Place and District information).
Register in person or by mail: contact your local election authority.
Request online a ballot to be mailed to you.
Mail your ballot: Send it in the postage-paid ballot return envelope that came with the ballot ensuring that it is postmarked by 11/3/2020 (leaving it in a mailbox on or near Election Day may not guarantee that it will be postmarked by 11/3/2020).
Find Election Day in-person polling place.
See what candidates and referenda are on your ballot.
Any other questions: contact your local election authority.
Suburban Cook County:
In Cook County, you can register to vote online through 10/18/2020 or in person on or before election day. Anyone who is properly registered to vote can do so by mailed ballot without providing a reason or excuse; it is recommended that you request a mailed ballot as soon as possible and before 10/26/2020. Early voting is available 10/19–11/2/2020. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 11/3/2020 and must arrive to be counted by 11/17/2020.
Apply to work as an Election Judge or Polling Place Technician on Election Day.
Check voter registration status (also gives Election Day Polling Place and District information).
Register in person when casting a ballot at an early voting site: present 2 forms of ID, at least one of which shows your current address.
Request online a ballot to be mailed to you: apply here https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/agency/vote-mail or https://elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VotingByMailAgreement.aspx (select “Cook Co” for Jurisdiction)
Download and mail in application to have a ballot mailed to you.
Find a secure ballot drop box (available beginning 10/14; preferred return method, especially after 10/19).
Mail your ballot: Send it in the postage-paid ballot return envelope that came with the ballot ensuring that it is postmarked by 11/3/2020 (leaving it in a mailbox on or near Election Day may not guarantee that it will be postmarked by 11/3/2020).
Find Election Day polling place.
See what candidates and refereda are on your ballot at the Cook County Clerk’s office or at BallotReady.
Any other questions: contact the suburban Cook County Elections Department at 312-603-0906.
Chicago:
In Chicago, you can register to vote online through 10/18/2020 or in person on or before election day. Anyone who is properly registered to vote can do so by mailed ballot without providing a reason or excuse; it is recommended that you request a mailed ballot as soon as possible and before 10/15/2020. Early voting is available 9/24–11/2/2020. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 11/3/2020 and must arrive to be counted by 11/17/2020.
Apply to work as an Election Judge or Election Coordinator on Election Day.
Check voter registration status (also gives Election Day Polling Place and District information).
Register online with driver’s license or state ID.
Register in person when casting a ballot at an early voting site: present 2 forms of ID, at least one of which shows your current address.
Register in person when casting a ballot on Election Day (least preferred method, but still preferred over not voting!): present 2 forms of ID, at least one of which shows your current address.
Request online that a ballot to be mailed to you: apply through the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website or Illinois State Board of Elections (select “Chicago, City of” for Jurisdiction).
Request by mail that a ballot be mailed to you: complete this form and mail it to Chicago Board of Elections, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 600, P.O. Box 1179, Chicago, IL 60690-1179.
Request in person that a ballot to be mailed to you: go to the Chicago Election Board, 69 W. Washington St, 6th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602.
Report that you have not received a requested mailed ballot on or before Thursday, 10/29: call 312-269-7967.
Find a secure ballot drop box (available beginning 10/14; preferred return method, especially after 10/19): Outside any early voting site or at the Election Board, 69 W. Washington St, 6th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602.
Mail your ballot: Send it in the postage-paid ballot return envelope that came with the ballot ensuring that it is postmarked by 11/3/2020 (leaving it in a mailbox on or near Election Day may not guarantee that it will be postmarked by 11/3/2020).
Ask a question about your mailed ballot: call 312-269-7967 or write to VoteByMail@chicagoelections.gov.
Find Election Day polling place at the State Board of Elections website or Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website.
See what candidates and refereda are on your ballot at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website or at BallotReady.
Any other questions: contact the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners at 312-269-7900 or cboe@chicagoelections.gov.
Indiana:
In Indiana, you can register to vote online, by mail, or in person through 10/5/2020. To vote by mail in Indiana, you must have an approved reason; the completed application must be received by the county or state by end of day 10/22/2020. Early voting is also called In-Person Absentee Voting and is available 10/24 and 10/31/2020. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 11/3/2020 and must arrive and be counted by 11/17/2020.
Apply to work on Election Day.
Check voter registration status.
Register online, by mail, or in person.
Apply online for an absentee mail-in ballot to be mailed to you.
Mail your ballot: Send it in the postage-paid secure return envelope that came with the ballot ensuring that it is received by county election officials by noon on 11/3/2020 (postmark date is not considered).
Find in-person absentee voting (early voting) location.
See what candidates and refereda are on your ballot at the In.gov Voter Portal or at BallotReady.
Any other questions: visit the Indiana Voter Portal at https://indianavoters.in.gov/ or call 800-622-4941 or elections@iec.in.gov.