Fifty-five Lake County residents cast ballots Thursday, Sept. 24, during the first three hours of early voting at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan. Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega called the pace unusual for an opening day, as first reported by the Chicago Tribune.

For Lake Forest voters, the Nov. 3 ballot includes alderperson races in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 4, school board seats and a countywide 1% sales tax referendum to fund school facility improvements, according to the Lake County election page. A satellite early voting site at the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff opens Oct. 19.

"We had a lot of people here … There was a small line," Vega said. "Normally it is very, very, slow when we start on the first day of early voting."

Vega said voters formed a line when the polling area opened at 9 a.m. and the flow stayed steady through the morning. He said he hopes countywide turnout exceeds 50% before voting ends.

What's on the ballot

The ballot also includes races for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the Illinois General Assembly. If approved, the 1% school sales tax would take effect July 1, 2027, with schools receiving revenue by fall 2027.

Where and when to vote early

Through Friday, Oct. 16, the only early voting site is the Lake County Courthouse lobby at 18 N. County St. in Waukegan, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voters from anywhere in Lake County may use any early voting location, according to the Lake County Clerk's early voting page. No identification is required for voters registered with their current name and address.

On Oct. 19, 17 satellite sites open countywide, including the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, according to Patch. Those satellite locations will generally be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 25. Hours extend starting Oct. 26, with weekday hours running until 7 p.m. and weekend hours expanding to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Early voting ends Monday, Nov. 2. Election Day polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Vote-by-mail deadlines

Residents who prefer to vote by mail must submit a completed ballot application to the Lake County Clerk's office by 5 p.m. Oct. 29. Postal Service officials and local election authorities recommend mailing completed ballots no later than Oct. 27 to account for changes in mail processing rules, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Regular voter registration closes Oct. 6. Online registration closes Oct. 18. Grace-period registration is available at early voting sites for eligible unregistered residents.

A full schedule of early voting locations and hours is available on the Lake County Clerk's website.