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How to Register to Vote in Chicago, IL and Suburban Cook County, IL

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Voting at Su Nueva Laundromat in Chicago.

A voter casts her ballot at Su Nueva Laundromat in Chicago. It doubles as a polling place during elections.

Scott Olson/Getty Images
The next election in Chicago, IL and suburban Cook County, IL will be the Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Primary Elections. The voter registration deadline for this election is Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

If you've missed the January 5, 2010 voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote under the two-week grace period extension. It closes on January 19, 2010.

If you meet the requirements to vote, you can register to vote in suburban Cook County, IL in one of three following ways.
  1. Mail-in application form. You can download the mail-in application (pdf) in English here. Or, you can call the Cook County Clerk's office at (312)603-0906 and request one. Applications are also available (pdf) in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Polish.

    Fill out the application, sign it, and mail it to the address below. (Please note, this is a good option up to about 28 days before the October 7 deadline. If you are nearing this deadline, you should probably choose option 2 or 3 below for registering to vote.)

    David Orr, Cook County Clerk
    69 W. Washington Street, Room 500
    Chicago, IL 60602

  2. You can register in person. Eligible voters can also register to vote in person by going to:
    • A Cook County Clerk's office.
    • A village, city or township clerk
    • An Illinois Secretary of State's drivers license facility.
    • At other state government offices, including public assistance offices and military recruitment offices.
  3. A deputy registrar can register you. Trained volunteer deputy registrars are allowed to register you to vote.
After you have registered, you should receive a voter identification card within four weeks. You can learn more about confirming your voter registration here.

Related Reading: How to Vote Early in Chicago and Suburban Cook County, IL

How to Vote Absentee in Chicago and Suburban Cook County, IL

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