Grace period registration and voting available until Nov. 3

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Grace period registration and voting is now available for eligible Illinois voters who missed the registration deadline but still want to vote in the Nov. 6, 2012 Presidential Election. 

“Procrastinators can still participate during the grace period if you need to register to vote for the first time, change your name or update your address,” Cook County Clerk Orr said.  

The grace period is available until Nov. 3. If you register during the grace period, you must vote at the time of registration. 

Grace period hours and locations for Suburban Cook County voters are:

• Mondays-Fridays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Clerk’s downtown Chicago office (69 W. Washington, Fifth Floor) and five suburban courthouse locations
  • Skokie, 5600 W. Old Orchard Road, Room 149
  • Rolling Meadows, 2121 Euclid Ave., Room 238
  • Maywood, 1311 Maybrook Square, Room 104
  • Bridgeview, 10220 S. 76^th Ave., Room 238
  • Markham, 16501 S. Kedzie, Room 238
• Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. only at 69 W. Washington, Fifth Floor
• Sundays, Oct. 14 & 21: 9 a.m. to noon only at 69 W. Washington, Fifth Floor
• Sunday, Oct. 28: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. only at 69 W. Washington, Fifth Floor

Grace-period registrants vote on touch screen voting equipment immediately after registering. Grace-period registrants are not eligible to vote at the polls on Election Day or take part in Early Voting. 

To qualify to vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day (Nov. 6) and a resident of his or her precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election. 

If registering during the grace period, you must display two pieces of identification. Neither needs to be a photo ID, but one must include your current address. Some acceptable forms of ID are:

Illinois driver’s license

Illinois state ID

Employee or student ID

Credit card statement

Social security card

Birth certificate

Utility bill in applicant’s name

Postmarked mail addressed to the applicant

Valid U.S. passport

Lease or rental contract 

The Clerk’s office will send a voter identification card to each voter after the applications are processed. The card lists each voter’s precinct information and voting districts. However, voters do not need a voter ID card to vote. Voters can check their status from the Voter Information Tool at cookcountyclerk.com.