Check Out Your Personalized Sample Ballot for April 7!
The April 7 Consolidated Election is coming up fast, and there are more local candidates than you can shake a stick at. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a place you could look to see what YOUR personal ballot will look like?
Well, there is.
For folks who live in Kane County but outside the Aurora Election Commission, the Kane County Clerk’s website offers what I think is one of the most valuable and under-used services, that personalized sample ballot. Here’s how it works.
STEP 1: Go to kanecountyelections.org
When you click on the kanecountyelections.org link in this sentence, it takes you to a page that looks like this:
STEP 2: Scroll Down to Where It Says, ‘Find …’
Which looks like this:
STEP 3: Fill in Your Last Name, House Number and Street Name
As it says in the instructions, only your house number or street name is required.
Then click “Submit.”
The page will look something like the following:
STEP 4: Click on Your Name
The page will then show your voter information.
Mine looks like the following. From there, you’ll want to click on the fine print that says, “Sample Ballot (clickable)”
STEP 5: Peruse Your Sample Ballot
Mine looks like this:
STEP 6: Pay Attention 🙂
Look to see if you are voting on any referendums. (There are seven on the April 7 ballot in various parts of Kane County.)
Note how many people are running in each race and how many candidates you can vote for. For example, in the Geneva School Board race, there are seven candidates vying for three seats. Note that it says, “Vote for (THREE)” and “Votar por (Tres).”
Up close, it looks like this:
STEP 7: Do Your Homework
After you’ve looked at the ballot, you might know exactly who you’re voting for and why. (Or in the case of a referendum, what you’re voting for and why.)
If you don’t know for sure and need some more information, there are plenty of places to look. Candidates forums, many of which are sponsored by the League of Women Voters, give you a chance to meet and listen to the candidates in person.
You can also read news-media articles, many of which contain candidate questionnaires and profiles.
Check out the Kane County Connects “Election 2015” Page for additional information. Below are a few of the most-read stories and links.
Read More
Kane County Clerk’s Office:
Kane County Connects Articles:
