Quick Guide to understand your Mail-In Ballot for the November Elections
By Abel Rodriguez
Elections are less than a month away, and whether you are voting by mail or in person there are more items on the ballot than just voting for the President, U.S. and State Representatives and U.S. Senators.
How to Vote
The deadline to register to vote online has passed however, U.S. citizens can still register to vote in person on election day, November 3 and during the grace period until the Monday before the election at selected locations. To find more information on how to register to vote and to find voting locations in Cicero and Berwyn read Cicero Independiente’s voting guide.
Remember that mail-in ballots must be mailed in the enclosed envelope and must be dated and signed, otherwise the ballot will be discarded. They can be mailed through USPS or can be dropped off at a ballot drop box at any polling station in Cook County on election day.
Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3. To check the status of your mail-in ballot you can use this online tool provided by the Cook County Clerk’s Office.
Early voting has already started in Cicero and will be ongoing. There are two early voting locations in Cicero. The Town of Cicero Community Center located on 2250 S 49th Ave. and the Cicero PSO building located on 5410 W 34th St.
Understanding your mail-in ballot
The ballot is divided into different sections. There is a total of two double sided pages, labeled A and B.
Illinois Constitutional Amendment
One section is to vote for Presidents, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative and State Representative.
Voters will find a section to vote for or against the Illinois ‘Fair Tax ’ amendment.
This amendment allows Illinois to adopt a graduated income tax instead of what we now have which is a fixed income tax rate. Voters are not deciding the new rates themselves but voting for the Fair Tax would allow the legislature to adopt a graduated income tax rate so that individuals who make more money would be taxed at a higher rate than those making less. According to the Vote for fairness website, only individuals making $250,000 or more would see an increase in their tax rate.
South Side Weekly and City Bureau have written more about the amendment and what it would mean for low-income people.
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners
The ballot also includes a section to vote for up to three Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners. Water Commissioners are responsible for treating wastewater and also manage waterways and storm water during storm surges.
WTTW profiled all candidates running for these positions.
State’s Attorney
Below that is the section to vote for the State's Attorney. Kim Foxx is the current incumbent. Patrick W. O’Brien and Brain Dennehy are also running for the State’s Attorney position.
States attorneys are responsible for prosecuting crimes that occur in Cook County and decide the severity of charges to bring up against individuals accused of misdemeanors to high offense crimes.
More information on the candidates can be found here.
Circuit Court Clerk
For the first time in 20 years there will be a new Circuit Court Clerk for Cook County, after the current Clerk decided not to run for a fifth term.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for many of the administrative functions of the circuit court. They maintain case files, process court payments for fines and fees and provide information for individuals wishing to self-represent in court.
Iris Y. Martinez and Barbara Bellar are the two candidates vying for this position.
Judicial Judges
The ballot contains a section on Appellate and Circuit Court judges. In this section you are not electing anyone into the position but instead voting whether each judge should retain their position.
Injustice Watch released a full guide for the Cook County judicial elections. All candidates are listed along with a bio and and position flags such as past controversies, negative ratings and notable reversals.
Abel Rodriguez recently graduated from Dominican University and is a reporter with Cicero Independiente.
