In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a little thing called a presidential primary coming up in March, and Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham and Kane County Supervisor of Elections Suzanne Fahnstock are doing everything they can to get the word out that people should register to vote ASAP.

As part of that effort, the Clerk’s Office is inviting all precinct committeemen to attend one of the sessions they’ve set up next week on how to properly register voters in Kane County.

“The clerk is looking into different ways to reach the residents of Kane County,” Fahnstock said. “A lot of people don’t realize that precinct committeemen are registrars. We usually send them supplies that include the registration forms, but with the presidential election coming up in 2016, we want to make sure we’re reaching out and encouraging everyone to register.”

Fahnstock emphasized the the training and refreshers are 100 percent nonpartisan and open to all precinct committeemen and committeewomen who wish to attend, but she does ask them to email to reserve a seat. She said the face-to-face training is important because there have been some changes to voter registration laws.

The dates for the sessions are:

• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25
•  2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26
• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26
• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27
• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27

The training sessions are part of a larger push by the Kane County Clerk’s Office to encourage voter registration.

“The goal is to get people to get out and register to vote now. We would like to see as many as possible,” Fahnstock said. “We don’t want people to wait until Feb. 16. Candidates are going to start circulating petitions in another week, so people are going to see a lot more campaigning — and not only about the presidential contests.”

On March 15, Illinois voters will be considering primary races for the offices of U.S. senator, state comptroller, representatives in Congress, state senators, state representatives, judges and countywide elected positions — auditors, County Board members, Board of Review members, circuit clerks, coroners, recorders of deeds, to name a few.

If you’re a candidate or just interested in the upcoming election, kanecountyelections.org is a great resource. Two other good, nonpartisan information sources are the state of Illinois’ 2016 Candidates Guide and vote411.org, which is put together by the League of Women Voters.

The bottom line is, if you know someone who hasn’t registered to vote, encourage them to register as soon as possible.

“All this is in preparation of the March election,” Fahnstock said,  “to help us control the long lines, and so that people can show up to vote,” Fahnstock said.

Illinois Online Voter Application State Board of Election

SOURCE: Kane County Clerk’s website

Click on the link to be redirected to the Illinois State Board of Elections website: Illinois Online Voter Application

Illinois Online voter registration is closed due to the Special Election that is in progress for Congressional District 18. Illinois Online voter registration will re-open on Sept. 12, 2015.

Register by Mail

Mail-in Registration Forms

• Complete the mail-in registration form.
• Optional * – Provide copies of two acceptable forms of ID with the completed mail-in registration form.
  * If you do not provide the forms of ID, you will not be eligible to vote by mail the first time you vote, and will be required to provide election officials with this information the first time you vote at a polling place.
• Mail the completed registration form and, if applicable, the copies of the two forms of ID to Kane County Clerk, Attn: Elections, 719 S Batavia Ave, Building B, Geneva, IL 60134.

Register in Person

Voter Registration Locations

Be sure to bring two acceptable forms of ID when you register to vote.

Deadlines

2016 General Primary

• Last day to register to vote: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016
• Grace period registration: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016 – Tuesday, March 15, 2016
• Registration will resume: Thursday, March 17, 2016

Eligibility

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

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be 18 years of age by the general election
• Reside in the precinct for 30 days prior to the next election.

Acceptable Forms of ID

The registration officer shall require the applicant to furnish two (2) forms of identification, and except in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include his or her current residential address. These forms of identification shall include but are not limited to any of the following:

• Driver’s License / State Identification Card
• Social Security Card
• Public Aide Identification Card
• Current Utility Bill
• Employee Identification Card
• Student Identification Card
• Lease or contract for residence
• Credit Card
• Civic Membership Card
• Union Membership Card
• Professional Association Membership Card

If the applicant does not have the above forms of identification, we may accept their current and valid photo identification, a current bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.

The registration officer must require a homeless individual to furnish evidence of his use of the mailing address stated. A mailing address of a homeless individual may include, but is not limited to, a shelter, a day shelter, or a private residence. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail addressed to that individual and received at that mailing address.

Additional Information

Change of Voting Address

Moved from Kane County to Kane County

Registered voters who have moved to another address in Kane County should notify the County Clerk’s office. This change of address may be accomplished by filling out the reverse side of the voter registration card or by written notice to the County Clerk’s office that includes your name, previous address, new address, birthday, and your signature. (If your name has changed, you must re-register.)

Moved from another county to Kane County

Voters who have moved to Kane County from another County or Election Commission must register to vote with Kane County.  (See above for how to register.) It is also highly recommended that you contact your previous County or Election Commission to cancel your registration there.

Moved from Kane County to another county

Voters who have moved to another county should notify the Kane County Clerk’s office. This notification of a change of address may be accomplished by filling out the reverse side of the voter registration card or by written notice to the County Clerk’s Office, 719 S. Batavia Ave, Bldg B, Geneva, 60134.

Change of Name

Voters who have changed their name since registering to vote must re-register to vote.  You may register to vote at the County Clerk’s office or any municipal office or local library in Kane County that accepts registration.

SOURCE: Kane County Clerk’s Office,