Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Alan Hays, is encouraging voters to return their voted mail ballot in time for it to be RECEIVED in the Elections Office before the 7 pm Election Night deadline. “There are several options to ensure your voted mail ballot reaches our office before the deadline,” Hays commented.

“To date, we have mailed out 58,864 ballots and have only received 20,465 back in our office,” Hays shared. Voters who are planning to return their voted mail ballot via mail are encouraged to get them in the mail today. The USPS is advising voters wishing to return their mail ballot to get them in the mail AT LEAST one week prior to the deadline. Since ballots must be RECEIVED in the Elections Office by (NOT POSTMARKED BY) 7 pm on August 18th for the Primary Election, time is of the essence to get them in the mail.

Voters who are concerned about mailing time have other options to return their ballot. In Lake County, Early Voting is currently available until Saturday, August 15th. Sites are open from 10 am to 6 pm. Each Early Voting site has a secure drop box to collect vote-by-mail ballots. Voters can drop off their voted ballot during voting hours during the Early Voting period. The ballots must be deposited in the appropriate receptacle at Early Voting sites. Ballots deposited at Early voting sites are collected by Elections staff and are returned to the Elections Office daily. For a list of Early Voting locations voters can visit our website: www.LakeVotes.com and click the Early Voting tab on our homepage.

Voters also have the option of dropping off their voted mail ballot in the secure curbside drop box located in the Elections Office parking lot. The drop box is available 24/7 from now until just before 7 pm on Election Day. “We encourage hand delivery whenever possible when it is this close to the deadline,” Hays further commented.

Keep in mind voted mail ballots CANNOT be accepted at your Election Day polling location. Voters always have the option to vote in person, even if they have requested to vote by mail. They would just need to bring their ballot with them to the polls so the clerk can cancel that ballot and re-issue them a new ballot to vote at the precinct. Voters who did not receive their mail ballot can notify the clerk and will be able to get a ballot reissued as well. If the ballot has not been RECEIVED in the Elections Office, an Election Day or Early Voting ballot may be issued to the voter. “Our electronic poll books will note whether a voter has voted by mail, at an Early Voting site, or at their assigned precinct on Election Day. This prevents a voter from voting twice in the same election,” Hays stated.

“We would like to encourage everyone to participate in this year’s Primary Election; there is something for everyone to vote on, and contests are usually very close,” commented Hays.