Elections News

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

CONTACTS:

Kathy Michael, County Clerk - 309.888.5183

Bradley Beyer, Co-Director of Elections - 309.888.5899

Mark Senger, Co-Director of Elections - 309.888.5191

NOTICE OF CANDIDATE BALLOT POSITION LOTTERY

Pursuant to Illinois Election law [10 ILCS 5/7-12(6)] Kathy Michael, McLean County Clerk, will conduct a Lottery, at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, to determine the order of appearance of candidate names on the 2024 General Primary Election ballot. 

A Lottery will be held only if more than one candidate for the same party and elected office filed petitions simultaneously at 8:00 am on Monday, November 27, 2023, or between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Monday, December 4, 2023, on the last day of filing.  

This Lottery proceeding is open to candidates, media, and all members of the public. 

The Lottery will be conducted at the McLean County Clerk’s office, located at:

Government Center

115 East Washington Street, Room 102

Bloomington, Illinois 61701

Download the PDF of this announcement

Voting as a university student can be complicated, so we want to help explain and simplify your options in a series of Election News articles focused on student voting.

Students are in a unique situation in that they may be temporarily living in a location other than home. That provides them options for voting that others do not encounter. Two main questions you need to answer are:

1. Do I want to vote in my home election authority or with McLean County?
2. Do I want to vote in person or vote by mail? 

Note: McLean County has two election authorities. The McLean County Clerk’s Office handles all elections for the county except the City of Bloomington. Voting in the City of Bloomington is conducted by the Bloomington Election Commission (BEC). IWU students living on campus should contact the BEC.

Where am I registered to vote?

If you are a student, you may be registered to vote in your home county. If you lived in McLean County during a previous election, you may be registered in McLean County. If you haven't voted before, you may not be registered at all.

If you originate from Illinois, visit the Illinois Online Voter Application Registration Lookup to see if you're registered. If you're from another state, visit your state's election authority to check your voter registration.

Can I register to vote if I'm 17?

Yes! Even if you aren’t 18 yet, but you will be before the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election, you can register to vote now! 

In which county can I vote?

If you are registered in your home county and wish to vote through that election authority, you can either travel home to vote, or you can request to vote by mail.

If you are living in McLean County and will be residing here for the March 19, 2024 Primary Election you can register to vote in McLean County.

What if I’m registered in my home county, but want to register in McLean County?

If you're registered in your home county but want to register in McLean County you do that. Just be sure to contact your home election authority to cancel your voter registration.

I was registered in McLean County before but moved. Do I need to update my registration?

Yes! Any time you move you need to update your voter registration. Simply submit a new voter registration with your updated address. Even moving up or down one floor or to the other side of a residence hall may impact your precinct, so you'll need to update your voter registration.

How can I vote?

Our next article will focus on ways you can vote. If you’d like to look ahead, visit the McLean County Clerk's Election web page for information on early voting, voting on Election Day, and voting by mail.

Information is a powerful thing. It forms and guides your decisions. Unfortunately, some people want to misuse information to alter the narrative or to convince you of falsehoods. Those who wish to disrupt the election process, including lies about the voting process and election workers, seek to dissuade your trust in our elections.

It (misinformation) menaces election officials, with 64 percent reporting in 2022 that the spread of false information has made their jobs more dangerous. It interferes with voters’ ability to understand and participate in political processes.

In this article, we’ll help you understand two types of false information, misinformation and disinformation, how to spot it, and what to do if you come across it.

What are Disinformation and Misinformation?

While closely related, these are two different types of bad information. The main difference between them is the intent of their use. According to the National Democratic Institute, “disinformation is when false information is shared to cause harm. Misinformation is when false information is shared, but no harm is meant.”

How Can I Spot False Information?

There are eight main tools you can use to spot misinformation and disinformation.

1. Consider the source – Investigate the site, its mission, and contact information
2. Read beyond – Read beyond headlines. Sometimes they’re extreme to get clicks. What does the story say?
3. Check the author – Search for the author. Are they credible? Are they a real person in a position to have the information they’re reporting?
4. Supporting Sources – Check links and determine if the information presented is supported by sources listed in the story.
5. Check the date – Sometimes old news stories aren’t relevant to current events. When was the story published?
6. Is it a joke? – If the news seems too wild, it could be satire.
7. Check your bias – Consider how your own beliefs could impact your perspective and judgment
8. Ask the experts – Ask a librarian, or consult a fact-checking site.

What Should You Do if You Spot False Information?

Contact your election authority or the Illinois State Board of Elections. Your election authority is the authority on elections in your jurisdiction. McLean County strives to be open and transparent with our voters. Include context and screenshots of the information in question. Report information, including where you saw the source and a link if possible. You can report misinformation or disinformation by:

• Using the Contact Us button on the McLean County Elections website
• Email Kathy.Michael@mcleancountyil.gov
• Call the Elections Office at 309-888-4035

McLean County has two election authorities. The McLean County Clerk’s Office handles all elections for the county except for the City of Bloomington. Voting in the City of Bloomington is conducted by the Bloomington Election Commission.

This week the McLean County Clerk’s Office mailed all McLean County Voters (not the City of Bloomington) a voter registration card. This is mandated by state law every two years to facilitate the maintenance of voter records and to inform voters if their voting precinct changed.

Why was a voter registration card mailed?

By law the United States Postal Service cannot a forward voter registration card. This results in the voter receiving their card, or for those voter registration cards that cannot be delivered, they're returned to our office as undeliverable. Voters who receive their new voter registration card should check if their home precinct (number or location) changed. You can use our Polling Places web page to confirm your polling place.

What happens if a voter registration card is returned as undeliverable?

When our office receives an undeliverable voter registration card, we double-check records and research any information about the voter whose card was returned. This may result in the voter canceling their registration (for example, if they moved), or if information cannot be obtained, the voter is marked Inactive in our systems.

Can I vote if my registration is inactive?

Yes, with an extra step. Marking voters inactive does not remove them from the poll books; it simply changes their status. If you are marked inactive, you will need to do one of two things before you can vote.

• If you’ve moved, you’ll need to register to vote at your new address.
• If you haven’t moved, and wish to become active an active voter at your same address, you’ll need to present two forms of identification to be marked active. One of these forms of ID must have your current address on it, such as a utility bill or driver's license. Once you’re marked active, you may vote.

More detailed information is available on the Voter Registration and Instructions page.

MEDIA ADVISORY

From:  McLean County Clerk, Kathy Michael

            Tazewell County Clerk, John C. Ackerman

Date:    September 21, 2023

Contact:          Kathy Michael, McLean County Clerk, 309-888-5183    

John C. Ackerman, Tazewell County Clerk, 309-477-2264

CENTRAL ILLINOIS ELECTION AUTHORITIES AND 

STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HOST JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

Discussion on Commitment to Election Integrity and Transparency Heading into the 2024 Presidential Election

ILLINOIS: Local Election Authorities throughout Central Illinois (Republican, Democratic, Non-Partisan) and the Illinois State Board of Elections will hold Joint Press Conferences concerning their commitment to Election Integrity and Transparency as we head into the 2024 Primary and General Elections.

Joint Media Events will be held on September 26^th at the following times and locations:

A. Tazewell County Clerk's Office at 9:00 am

B.  McLean County Clerk's Office at Noon

C.  LaSalle County Board Chambers at 4:00 pm

A Joint Media Event will also be held on September 27^th at the Shields-Carter Room in the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana at 11:00 am. 

The following individuals will participate in one or more of the Joint Press Conferences: 

1. Bloomington Election Commission Executive Director Luke Stremlau

2. Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons

3. Fayette County Clerk Jessica Barker

4. Fulton County Clerk Patrick O'Brian

5. Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham

6. Knox County Clerk Scott Erickson

7. LaSalle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner

8. Livingston County Clerk Kristy Masching

9. Logan County Clerk Theresa Moore

10. Madison County Clerk Linda Andreas

11. Marshall County Clerk Jill Kenyon

12. Mason County Clerk Summer Brown

13. McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio

14. McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael

15. Peoria County Election Commission Executive Director Elizabeth Gannon

16. Pike County Clerk Natalie Roseberry

17. Putnam County Clerk Tina Dolder

18. Stark County Clerk Heather Hollis

19. Tazewell County Clerk John C. Ackerman

20. Woodford County Clerk Dawn Kupfer

21. Illinois State Board of Elections Public Information Officer Matt Dietrich

Local Election Leaders will address the ever-increasing election misinformation and inquiries into their election processes and procedures since the 2016 Presidential Election. They will highlight how local election management secures the integrity of elections in Illinois, along with their collaboration of sharing best practices and policies. They will also stress their open invitation for the public to visit their offices to discuss any questions and concerns. Transparency about election processes and procedures has long been a priority, and this outreach will continue their important work to increase public confidence.

Register to vote so you’re all set for the 2024 Primary Election and General Election!

It’s easy to register to vote! You can register online, by visiting the County Clerk’s Office, or by printing a voter registration and mailing it to us.

Though you can register to vote in McLean County during Early Voting or on Election Day, you’ll save yourself time if you’re registered in advance. You must also be registered to vote before you can request a vote by mail ballot.

Main reasons people need to register:

• You’ve never registered to vote
• Your name changed since you last registered
• You moved (even moving one floor in a university residence hall may change your precinct)

Learn more about voter registration or register to vote.

If you have questions, contact us by using the Ask an Election Question form.

The week of September 11-5 is Disability Voter Week, a special week to encourage disabled voters to vote and to increase awareness of their options to participate in the election process.

Did you know: "If people with disabilities voted at the same rate as people without disabilities who have the same demographic characteristics, there would be about 2 million more voters?
- Source: "Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2022 Elections, Supplemental Analysis of Census Voter Turnout Data, Lisa Schur, Douglas Kruse, Mason Ameri

Disabled Voters Rights

Disabled voters experience the same rights as non-disabled voters, plus these extra rights that are protected by federal law.

• The right to accessible voter registration
• The right to accessible polling places
• The right to accessible, available, and operational voting machines
• Protections against discrimination due to a disability
• The right to vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed
• The right for a service animal to accompany you in the polling place
• The right to assistance from a person of your choice or a poll worker (except a boss, union agent, or candidate unless they are family)

How Can Disabled Voters Vote

Disabled voters have many ways to cast their vote for elections including

• Voting in-person in their polling place on Election Day
• Voting in-person at a vote center on Election Day
• Voting in-person at an Early Voting Center
• Voting via Vote by Mail
• Voting in-person curbside at their polling place on Election Day

In addition, the McLean County Clerk's Office coordinates voting for those residing in county nursing homes by visiting the facilities to ensure all those who want to vote are able to.

To learn more about your rights as a disabled voter, visit The American Association of People with Disabilities website.

The Illinois State Board of Elections has released the following documents which are all available on the Candidate Filing Information page of the McLean County website. Scroll past the calendar to access these forms and documents.

• 2024 Abbreviated Election Calendar
• 2024 Candidate Election and Campaign Finance Calendar
• 2024 Candidate Guide and Filing Information

The McLean County Clerk's Office has released the Overview for Petition Packets as well.

On Tuesday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Government Center, 115 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, Illinois, McLean County Clerk’s office will perform the Illinois State Board of Elections re-tabulation for randomly selected precincts within McLean County.

The precincts selected by the Illinois State Board of Elections for re-tabulation are:

• Office Early Vote 01
• Empire 01
• Old Town 01
• Funks Grove
• Normal 13

These precincts will be re-tabulated as directed by the Illinois State Board of Elections.  The re-tabulation does not change vote counts.

View the official 2023 Consolidated Election Re-Tab Notice

What is a retabulation?

As mandated in 10 ILCS 5/24B-15 and 5/24C-15, each Election Authority shall re-tabulate (re-tab) the election results after each election and before the official canvass of results. The Illinois State Board of Elections (ILSBE) randomly selects 5% of your precincts and Early Voting equipment to be re-tabulated.

As part of such re-tabulation, the election authority shall test the computer program in the selected precincts and on the selected early voting devices. Such test shall be conducted by processing a pre-audited group of ballots so punched so as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each public question and shall include for each office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the equipment to reject such votes.

If any error is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected, and an errorless count shall be made prior to the official canvass and proclamation of election results.

Illinois Statutes

Vote by mail applications are now available for the March 19, 2024 General Primary Election. Our Vote by Mail web page offers two ways to submit your application - one version to print and mail in, the other to complete and submit online. View the Election calendar to see deadlines.

The vote by mail application allows three options to request a vote by mail ballot.

1. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for the March 19, 2024 General Primary Election only.
2. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections that do not require a party designation. (permanent vote by mail application)
3. Submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections (those that do and do not require a party designation). In selecting this option the voter must select the party designation that they want to receive in subsequent elections. (permanent vote by mail application)

If selecting a permanent vote by mail application, the voter will continue to receive a vote by mail ballot for future elections using the parameters selected until that voter is deceased, updates their permanent vote by mail application by submitting a new application, or submits a written request to cancel their application.