County Clerk's Office

Absentee Voting

Many registered voters in Illinois are unable to vote in person at the polling place on Election Day. Click here to download the Application for Absentee ballot. General information regarding the correct procedures to follow in order to vote by absentee ballot are found below:

Absentee Voting Procedures
Absentee Voting: Downloadable Documents
Early Voting

Grace Period Voting
In the Hospital?
Voter Assistance

ABSENTEE VOTING PROCEDURES

When can applications for absentee ballots be made?
(Be certain to apply within the following time frames.)

By Mail -	Not more than 40 days nor less than 5 days prior to the election.
In Person -	Not more than 40 days nor less than 1 day prior to the election.

Step 1
Obtain the proper application for absentee ballot, either by mail or in person, from your election authority's office (the county clerk is the election authority for Rock Island County).

Step 2
Upon receipt, complete the application. Make certain to include your name, home address, address where you want the ballot to be mailed, and be sure to sign the application. In primary elections you must state your party affiliation.

Step 3
After completing the application, either mail it or deliver it yourself to your election authority. If you return the application in person or complete the application in the election authority’s office, you may immediately vote your absentee ballot in the election authority’s office. If you mail the application and it is properly completed, the election authority will mail your absentee ballot to you.

Step 4
After receiving your ballot, VOTE THE BALLOT IN SECRET. Insert the ballot into the envelope provided, seal it, complete and sign the certification on the back and PERSONALLY return it or mail it. (The absentee voter may authorize, in writing, a spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, or licensed motor carrier, to deliver to the election authority the completed absentee ballot in sufficient time to be delivered to the County Clerk's Office on Election Day.)

NOTE: Early Voting and Grace Period Voting must be done in-person only, at the Rock Island County Clerk's Office.

Absentee Voting: Downloadable Documents

Absentee Voting (by Illinois State Board of Elections)

Health Care Facility Voting (by Illinois State Board of Elections)

IN THE HOSPITAL? YOU CAN STILL VOTE.

Many registered voters are hospitalized on Election Day and are uncertain as to the proper procedures to follow in order to vote. General information regarding the correct voting procedures to follow for those voters who are hospitalized are found below:

If hospitalized NOT MORE than fourteen (14) days before the election:

Obtain an “Application for Absentee Ballot by Physically Incapacitated Elector.” The application can be obtained from the election authority (the county clerk is the election authority for Rock Island County), where you are registered to vote.
You must complete the application and your physician must complete and sign the “Certificate of Attending Physician” section of the application.
After the form is completed and signed by you and your physician, a registered voter from your precinct or your relative can then hand deliver the application to your election authority's office (the county clerk is the election authority for Rock Island County).
After signing an affidavit, the precinct voter or your relative may personally hand deliver the absentee ballot to you in the hospital.
When you receive the ballot, vote the ballot in secret and complete the certification and sign on the absentee ballot return envelope.
After depositing your voted ballot in the return envelope and securely sealing the envelope, give the envelope to the precinct voter or to your relative who must deliver it to the election authority's office before 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Remember that only those persons who are admitted to a hospital NOT MORE than fourteen (14) days before an election are entitled to personal delivery of an absentee ballot. If you were hospitalized more than fourteen (14) days before the election, you may vote by regular absentee ballot using the following procedure:

Obtain an Application for Absent Voter’s Ballot.
Complete and sign the application. Then mail it to your election authority's office. IT MUST BE RECEIVED BY YOUR ELECTION AUTHORITY NO LATER THAN FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
Your absentee ballot will be mailed to you at the hospital. When you receive your ballot, vote the ballot in secret and complete the certification and sign on the certification envelope.
After placing your voted ballot in the return envelope and securely sealing the envelope, immediately mail your ballot back to the election authority’s office (the county clerk is the election authority for Rock Island County). If it is more convenient, your ballot may be delivered in person, by your spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, or by a company licensed as a qualified motor carrier. You must give an authorization form to the person making the delivery. Be aware that if your ballot arrives too late (must be postmarked no later than midnight on the Monday before Election Day), it will not be counted.

For more information about absentee voting or voting locations, contact the Election Department at (309) 558-3571.

EARLY VOTING

Any person can vote "in-person", during the 22nd through the 5th day preceding an election. Any voter may cast a ballot during this 17 day period and needs no excuse or reason, unlike the requirements for absentee voting. Persons voting early do not get to cancel their ballot and vote at the polls on election day. NOTE: Early Voting can be done in-person at the following locations (See box below).

Early Voting:

Dates:

For February 2nd, 2010 General Primary Election:
January 11th, 2010 thru January 28, 2010

Early Voting Sites:

County Clerk's Office
1504 - Third Avenue
Rock Island, Illinois

Hours:

8:00 AM - 4:30 PM., Monday - Friday

South Moline Township Senior Center
637 - 17th Avenue
East Moline, Illinois

Hours:

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM., Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - Noon, Saturday Jan. 16th and Jan. 23rd.

For a complete listing of sites please click here to review the trolley schedule.

Rock Island County now has a mobile voting trolley which is handicapped-accessible. The trolley will travel to various sites within the County during the Early Voting dates, making it easier for the elderly and disabled to vote. Any Rock Island County voter can use the trolley to vote at one of the scheduled stops. You may click here to view the trolley schedule.

State Law requires that a registered voter show valid photo identification before voting early. Voters casting an early ballot must display a current driver's license, a state-issued ID card or another government-issued ID with a photograph.

The law prohibits a person who voted during the early voting period from voting at their regular vote center on Election Day. The votes cast during the early voting time period will be counted on Election Day.

For more information about early voting or voting locations, contact the Rock Island County Clerk Election Department at (309) 558-3571.

GRACE PERIOD VOTING

Legislation now provides for in-person voter registration, or execution of a change of address for an already registered voter, during the period of the 27th to the 7th day before an election. Normally, voter registration closes 28 days prior to election day. However, this legislation provides a "grace period" whereby a person may register within the office of the election authority during the twenty-one (21) period following the normal close of registration.

Any one registering during this period will be required to vote in-person at that time. Persons voting early do not get to cancel their ballot and vote at the polls on election day.

NOTE: Grace Period Voting must be done in-person only, at the Rock Island County Clerk's Office which is located at 1504 - Third Avenue, in Rock Island, Illinois.

Grace Period Voting:
Only at:
County Clerk's Office
1504 - Third Avenue
Rock Island, Illinois

Dates:

For February 2nd, 2010 General Primary Election:
January 6, 2010 thru January 26, 2010

Hours:

Monday thru Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 4:30 P.M.

For more information about grace period voting or voting locations, contact the Rock Island County Clerk Election Department at (309) 558-3571.

VOTER ASSISTANCE

Assistance is the actual casting of votes for a voter in accordance with the voter’s wishes. Assistance can be given by a friend or relative, but cannot be given by an officer or agent of the voter’s employer or the voter’s union. A candidate whose name appears on the ballot is also prohibited from assisting a physically incapacitated absentee voter unless the candidate is the spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister of the incapacitated absentee voter. This would prohibit precinct committeemen from giving assistance in a primary election. If assistance is given, the name and address of the person giving assistance must be provided on the certification envelope.

For additional information about voting while being hospitalized, contact the Rock Island County Clerk Election Department at (309) 558-3571.