Election Day is almost here. Planning to head to the polls in Naperville Tuesday? Here’s everything you need to know.
When is the general election?
Election Day in the United States is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year that day falls on Nov. 5.
When do polls open on Election Day?
Polling places across Illinois will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Anyone who is in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Where can I vote in Naperville?
There will be nearly three dozen polling places open across Naperville Tuesday where you’ll be able to fill out and cast your ballot in person. Locations include Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville Fort Hill Activity Center and Nichols Library. A full list of locations can be found at https://bit.ly/4fqkSus.
Can I vote before Tuesday?
Yes. In-person early voting in DuPage and Will counties started in late September and will continue up until Election Day.
DuPage County residents can vote early at the Naperville Municipal Center, Islamic Center of Naperville or the Mall of India. Locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.
Will County residents can also cast their ballots early at the Naperville Municipal Center and the 95th Street Library from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Sunday and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.
Can I register to vote on Election Day?
Yes, you can register to vote at your polling place on Election Day. Two forms of identification are required to register. One must show your current address.
What local races are on the ballot?
Beyond the presidential election, Naperville voters have several contested races at the congressional, state and county level to decide come Tuesday. Here are a few of the races to look out for.
In the 6th Congressional District, Democrat Sean Casten of Downers Grove is seeking a fourth term against Republican challenger Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn.
In the 11th District, Democrat Bill Foster of Naperville is vying to keep his seat against Republican Jerry Evans of Warrenville.
For the 14th District, Naperville’s Lauren Underwood is up against Republican challenger James Marter of Oswego.
For state races, Democratic incumbent Anne Stava-Murray of Naperville is facing Republican Aaron Porter for state representative in the 81st District.
In the 47th District, Wheaton Republican Amy Grant, is being challenged by Democrat Jackie Williamson, also from Wheaton. And in the 97th District, freshman Democrat Harry Benton is seeking a second term against a challenge from Republican Gabby Shanahan.
At the county level, most races in Will and DuPage are contested.
The only unopposed race is for state’s attorney, with Republican incumbent Robert Berlin seeking reelection without a challenger. Meanwhile, the races for circuit court clerk, auditor, coroner and recorder are all competitive.
Democratic incumbent Candice Adams is facing Republican Jeremy Wang for circuit court clerk, while Democrat Judith Lukas is challenging three-term Republican incumbent Richard Jorgensen for coroner.
For auditor, voters will decide between Democratic incumbent William White and Republican Bob Grogan, who previously served as DuPage’s auditor from 2008 to 2020. The race for recorder is between Democrat Liz Chaplin, a DuPage County Board member, and Republican Nicole Prater, who is currently serving as the supervisor of Winfield Township.
Two DuPage County Board seats representing parts of Naperville — District 3 and District 5 — are also up for reelection. For the District 3 seat, Democratic incumbent and Naperville resident Lucy Chang Evans is facing Republican Baron Leacock of Hinsdale.
The District 5 race is between Republican incumbent Patty Gustin, who was elected to the board in 2022, and Democrat Saba Haider, who lives in Aurora and serves on the DuPage County Health Department’s Public Health Board.
Over in Will County, all races other than for state’s attorney are contested. Otherwise, candidates are vying for coroner, circuit court clerk, recorder, auditor and county clerk.
Are there any local referendums to look out for?
Yes, there are two depending on where you live in Naperville.
For DuPage voters, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has a referendum on the ballot seeking a tax increase to help bolster funding so it can maintain and expand the property that it owns.
The other is from Indian Prairie School District 204, which is asking voters to approve the sale of up to $420 million in bonds to pay for what district officials say are needed security and facility improvements. Should the referendum fail, the district may need to cut the equivalent of 50 full-time positions from its ranks, officials say.
How many registered voters are there in DuPage and Will counties?
As of Friday, there were 630,636 people registered to vote in DuPage and 441,483 in Will.
Going into Election Day, how has early turnout fared so far?
As of Friday, 154,844 people had turned out to cast early ballots in DuPage. Add in the 77,341 mail-in ballots that have been returned, the county had a total of 232,185 ballots returned four days out from Election Day.
Some 140,815 ballots had been cast in Will County as of Thursday, including 99,620 from early voters and 41,195 mailed ballots.
Locally, how many people voted in the 2020 presidential election?
In DuPage County, 491,067 of 641,503 then-registered voters cast ballots in 2020, a 76.5% turnout. For the presidential race, 281,222 DuPage voters cast their ballots for Joe Biden and 193,611 for Donald Trump.
In Will County, 2020 saw 75.1% turnout — 348,071 of 463,465 then-registered voters. Like DuPage, more Will County voters cast their ballots for Biden, with 183,915 people voting for the president and 155,116 people voting for Trump.
How does turnout for this election so far compare to turnout four years ago?
Turnout in DuPage County looks like it will be lower than it was in 2020, county Clerk Jean Kaczmarek said.
Meanwhile, turnout in Will County is looking to be on pace with participation four years ago, county Clerk Charles Pelkie said Friday.
“I can tell you right now that the pace of early voting is very robust,” Pelkie said. “It looks like there’s a tremendous amount of interest in this election. As far as early voting is concerned, we are on pace to match or potentially exceed what happened in 2020.”
What do I need to bring with me to the polls?
Unless you are registering at the same time, you do not need to bring a photo ID to vote. You are allowed to bring written or printed materials into the voting booth to assist you, according to the ACLU of Illinois. You can also request up to two hours off of work to go and vote in Illinois if your work schedule prevents you from getting to the polls while they are open, the ACLU says.
How do I know my ballot is safe from tampering?
“Election officials implement ballot processing and tabulation safeguards designed to ensure each ballot cast in the election can be correctly counted,” Naperville resident Becky Simon, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois, said in a news release. “These safeguards include chain of custody procedures, auditable logging requirements, and canvass processes.”
For instance, the DuPage State’s Attorney’s Office announced Friday that it would be deploying teams of personnel to respond to reports of any suspected irregularities that may arise at county polling places on Election Day.
When will results start to come out Tuesday and how can I follow along?
Counties will start to report unofficial results Tuesday night after polls close. Results from early voting and vote by mail will be uploaded first. Results will then be updated continually as precincts begin reporting.
You track DuPage County results at https://bit.ly/4f7LiS0 and Will County results at https://bit.ly/3C8OjCR.
