Absentee voting gets under way next week

The primary election in Fayette County is more than six weeks away, but some voters will begin casting their votes next week.
According to the office of Fayette County Clerk and Recorder Terri D. Braun, absentee voting for the March 18 primary in Illinois gets under way next Thursday.
In-person absentee voting at Braun’s office will be done using touch-screen voting machines, with the votes to be tallied after the polls close on election day.
Under state law, absentee voters can no longer withdraw their absentee ballots and vote on election day.
Absentee voting continues until March 17, the day before the primary election.
Early voting will run from Monday, March 3, through Saturday, March 15.
Voters do not need to state a reason for early voting, but they are required to present a valid photo identification card.
Early voting will also be done in Braun’s office on touch-screen machines, with those votes also to be tallied after the polls close on election day.
Grace period registration and voting begins on Feb. 19 and runs through Saturday, March 15.
Grace period voting allows people who have never registered to vote or have failed to change their address or voting information to make changes after the normal deadline.
State law stipulates that with grace voting, residents must register or update their information in the clerk’s office and then cast their ballot at that time.
Grace period voting is also being done using touch-screen machines.
At the March 18 election, voters will be casting ballots for the following offices:
State Offices
• U.S. senator
• Governor and lieutenant governor
• Attorney general
• Secretary of state
• Comptroller
• Treasurer
• U.S. representatives
• State senators
• State representatives
County Offices
• Clerk and recorder
• Treasurer
• Sheriff
• Supervisor of assessments
• Regional superintendent of schools
• County board members
• Judge vacancies in state supreme court, appellate court and circuit court.