Yes, you must complete an application to vote by mail. There are two options to apply for a mail ballot.
If you only want to vote by mail in the upcoming election, you need a single election application. We can start accepting those 90 days before the Election.
If you want a mail ballot sent to you every election, you need a permanent vote by mail ballot. We can accept those at any time.
You can complete the online application and your application will automatically be emailed to the Election Office.
You can also find more information and a request form that can be printed out at this link.
The first day the Election Office can mail a ballot is 40 days before an Election. Anyone who applied before that date will have their ballot mailed on that date. Anyone who applies after will have their ballot mailed by the next business day until five days before the election, the last day to mail a ballot.
The first day the Election Office can mail a ballot is 40 days before Election Day and ballots will be mailed each business day after that. Please wait 10 days from either the first day ballots can be mailed or the day you applied to call the Election office and a replacement ballot can be mailed to you.
Macoupin County also allows you to track your ballot and sign up for text and email notifications of your ballot’s status online. Visit our ‘Check My Ballot’ page for more information or to sign up.
Yes. Any individual who registers to vote or updates their voter registration information by the deadline to register to vote can apply for a mail ballot. Individuals who need to register to vote or change their registration starting the day after the deadline will have to grace period vote at the Election office.
Casting Your Vote by Mail
Once you apply to vote by mail, your ballot will be mailed to you at the address listed on your registration or the mailing address you write on your application. Inside the packet you receive is a ballot, a set of instructions, a secrecy envelope, a certification, and a return envelope. Once you mark your ballot, place and seal it in the secrecy envelope, fill out the certification card and place both it and the secrecy envelope inside the return envelope. Seal it in the pre-addressed postage-paid return envelope. Verify the return envelope has your correct name and address, and simply return your ballot via the mail or drop it off no later than Election Day.
None. All mail ballots will come with a postage prepaid ballot return envelope. Once you are ready to return your ballot, you can simply drop it in the mail. No stamp needed.
Your ballot must be postmarked no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day in order to be counted. You may also drop off your ballot at the Election office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after will be counted for up to 14 days after. To ensure your ballot is counted, mail it back as soon as you can after voting.
If you make a mistake or damage your ballot, call the Election Office at (217) 854-3214 or email [email protected] and request a replacement ballot. One will be mailed to you if the request is made prior to five days before Election Day. Otherwise, we can provide you with alternative options. Please note that your mail-in ballot has been cast the moment you deposit it in the mailbox or drop it off in person at the Election office. Once you cast a vote, you cannot receive a new ballot to re-vote, even if you’ve changed your mind about how you voted on your ballot.
Yes, your ballot will still be counted. The secrecy envelope is made available to help you ensure the privacy of your vote. Just make sure your certification card is signed.
Yes, someone can deliver your ballot for you to the Election office. On the back of the return envelope is a certification you must sign naming the person who can deliver your ballot back for you and authorizing them to do so.
Vote-By-Mail Security and Benefits
No. In fact, voting by mail is a tried-and-true voting method. Our military has regularly relied on mail-in voting for more than 150 years and they have always been able to trust that their vote has counted.
Yes! This process is secure, not because there aren’t any threats, but because we have secure processes and procedures that we consistently improve upon to help ensure your vote is secure.
No. One of the initial security tests for mail-in voting is comparison of the signature on your ballot and the signature you have on file with your voter registration by bipartisan election judges.
No, ballot envelopes are barcoded to the individual voter. Upon return, only one ballot from any voter is accepted — the first one in. Others are rejected, and if criminal intent is suspected, the voter could be prosecuted. Ballots in an envelope with no barcode are rejected.
There have been a lot of stories about vote by mail the last few years. We put together some common myths and facts about vote by mail here in Macoupin. You can see those facts by vesting the Vote by Mail: Facts vs Myths page.