PEORIA -- Thanks to new state laws passed by the Democrats, voting is easier than ever, and you don't have to confront a confusing electronic machine.
In Illinois, you can phone your local election commission or county clerk, request an absentee ballot by mail, and an application will be sent to you with a postage paid envelope for its return. Then the ballot arrives.
It's a paper ballot, simple to use. You do not have to give a reason to request an absentee ballot. I just did it. Quick and easy. Tell your friends!
There's no driving to a polling place, standing in line, confronting the machine, wondering if you can figure it out without feeling like an idiot. Just a phone call!In Peoria, here are the phone numbers:
Peoria City Election Commission: 309/494-8683.Peoria County Clerk: 309/672-6070.
But what if you're not registered to vote? Or have moved and changed your address?
Oct. 5 is the deadline for voter registration. But there's another way, called grace period voting. From Oct. 6 - 26, you can register to vote and vote at the same time. You must take identification. Call for more precise instructions if necessary.
Early voting for registered voters takes place from Oct. 11--Oct. 28, at several locations. Call or watch the newspaper for the early voting sites.
Nov. 2 is the General Election.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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