Joliet Voter Guide: What’s On The Ballot, What To Know

JOLIET — The general election isn’t until Nov. 5, but early voting gets under way in Illinois on Sept. 26 — and residents can already request a ballot to vote by mail.

The hottest race on the ballot is the presidential election, pitting Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald J. Trump.

Races to watch in Joliet:

• 43rd District Senator: Democrat incumbent Rachel Ventura versus Republican challenger Jennifer "Jen" Monson.
• 49th District Senator: Democrat incumbent Meg Loughran Cappel versus Republican challenger Katie Deane-Schlottman
• 86th District Representative: Democrat incumbent Lawrence "Larry" Walsh Jr. versus Republican challenger Jim Lanham.
• 97th District Representative: Democrat incumbent Harry Benton versus Republican challenger Gabby Shanahan.
• Will County Executive: Democrat incumbent Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant against Republican challenger Charles "Chuck" Maher.
• Will County Circuit Clerk: Democrat incumbent Andrea Lynn Chasteen against Republican challenger Diane Harris
• Will County Coroner: Democrat incumbent Laurie Summers versus Republican challenger Robert Enright.
• Will County Auditor:Democrat incumbent Kevin "Duffy" Blackburn versus Republican challenger James Robert Buiter.
• Will County Clerk: Democrat challenger Michelle Stiff versus Republican challenger Annette Parker.
• Will County Register of Deeds: Democrat incumbent Karen A. Stukel is against Republican challenger Raquel Mitchell.
• Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, the incumbent Democrat, does not have an opponent from the Republican Party.

Registering to vote

Not sure if you’re registered to vote, or need to change your address? You can find out here.

If you’re not registered, you have until Oct. 8 to register by mail and Oct. 20 to register to vote online. You can also register in person on Election Day.

To register by mail, download and print the Illinois Voter Registration Application and send the completed form to your county clerk or Board of Election commissioner.

If you want to register in person, you can do so at driver’s license facilities, your county clerk’s office, city or village offices, township offices or public libraries.

In Joliet, voter registration for Will County residents is available at the Joliet City Clerk's Office, located at 150 West Jefferson Street in downtown Joliet.

Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

To be eligible to register to vote, a person must:

• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Be 18 years of age or older on or before the next election;
• Be a resident of the precinct 30 days prior to next election;
• Provide two forms of identification - one of which must show the current address.
• Also note that voter registration closes 27 days before each election.

Early voting

Joliet voters who want to cast their ballots early, can do so starting Sept. 26 at the Will County Clerk's Office, 302 N. Chicago St., in Joliet.

There will also be an early voting location at the Joliet Park District's Inwood Recreation Center, 3000 W. Jefferson St.

Dates and hours for the Joliet Park District early voting location are:

• Oct. 21 to Oct. 25, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Oct. 26, Saturday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Oct. 27, Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Nov. 2, Saturday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Nov. 3, Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Nov. 4, Monday, 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Voting by mail

Illinois voters can already file an application to vote by mail, and you can find vote by mail applications on the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

If you’re making your request by mail, the Illinois Election Authority must receive it by Oct. 31.

You can also request a mail-in ballot online on your county clerk’s website. If you’ve already requested your mail-in ballot, you should receive it around the time early voting starts.

Once you receive your vote by mail ballot, it must be completed and postmarked by Election Day — Nov. 5.

Election Day

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you can still vote — so don't leave!

If you don't know your polling place, find it here.