Orland Park Village Clerk Shares Voting Deadlines & Reminders

Exercising one’s right to vote has become more convenient over the last few years.

Voter registration for the November 6, 2012 Presidential Election closes at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Suburban Cook County residents who are U.S. citizens and will be 18 on or before November 6, 2012 may register at the Village Clerk’s Office in Orland Park’s Frederick T. Owens Village Hall, 14700 South Ravinia Avenue. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We’re reminding suburban Cook County residents to register to vote before October 9 so they can vote in the Presidential Election on November 6,” said Orland Park Village Clerk David Maher. “People who have moved, never registered, changed their names or will be eighteen years old by November 6, 2012 may register to vote,” he said.

On November 6, voters will consider candidates for president and vice-president, congressional representatives, state senators and representatives, Water Reclamation District commissioners, Cook County state’s attorney, clerk of the circuit court, recorder of deeds, sanitary district trustees, Board of Review commissioners, State Supreme and Appellate Court judges and Cook County Circuit Court judges and subcircuit judges.

In-person absentee voting is no longer available in the Orland Park Village Clerk’s Office; however, applications to vote by mail are available or can be downloaded from the Clerk’s Office area on the village’s website at www.orland-park.il.us.

“At one time, people could only vote on Election Day or prove why they needed to vote absentee,” Maher recalled. “With early voting, voting by mail and voting on Election Day itself, it’s more convenient for everyone to exercise this privilege,” he said. “Voting by mail is a great service for people who aren’t able to easily get out of the house. They can cast their ballots from the comfort of their own homes,” Maher said.

Voting by mail is available for those unable to participate in early voting or go to the polls on Election Day. “Parents whose kids are away at college can ask that a ballot be mailed to them,” the clerk said.

Those who choose to vote by mail must be registered to vote and submit a completed mail ballot application to Cook County Clerk David Orr’s Office. Once the application is received, the Cook County Clerk will verify the voter’s eligibility before issuing a ballot.

Vote by Mail Ballot Applications are available at the Orland Park Village Clerk’s Office or may be downloaded from the Clerk’s Office area of the village’s website at www.orland-park.il.us.  It is recommended that voters apply as soon as possible so they receive their ballots in time to vote. The ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before Election Day and received at the Cook County Clerk's Office within 14 days after Election Day.

A sample ballot, which allows registered voters to learn about the candidates, will be available online at least one month before the election. Voters can view their sample ballot on the Cook County website www.voterinfonet.com by entering the information required to show if they are registered.

Further information or to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to a Cook County voter, either homebound or out of town, is available by calling Village Clerk Maher’s Office at 708/403-6150.