Peoria County elections office outlines ballot-postmark guidance, public test and early-voting dates

Elizabeth Gannon, representing the Peoria County Election Commission, told the Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 26 that the office is ramping up communications after changes to ballot postmark rules and that voters should plan to send ballots early.

Gannon said she attempted to arrange a post office presentation but did not receive a response and instead forwarded a national article about the issue to county staff for distribution. "Postmark rules have changed. Get your ballot in early. If you wait until the last minute, use a drop box or go into the office and have a clerk postmark it directly," she said.

The elections office plans several outreach measures to alert voters: an insert in every vote-by-mail ballot explaining the changes, a podcast with the communications team, social media posts, and expanded use of the ballot-tracking service that sends a text, email or phone call when a ballot is mailed. Gannon said the office will add explanatory language to outbound messages and send reminders 14 days and seven days before an election.

She announced a public test of voting equipment will be held Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. at the elections office and said the session is open to the public to observe how contests and referenda are processed on each ballot type. Gannon also said early voting and vote-by-mail begin Thursday, Feb. 5 and that ballots should arrive in households shortly thereafter.

On application timing, Gannon said voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot up to the week prior to an election "for law, for statute" and can apply by phone or through the application on curielections.gov, though she cautioned against waiting until the last minute.

The elections office emphasized the goal is education: making sure voters know the change, how to track their ballots and where to go for help. The public test and the posted materials are intended to increase transparency before early voting begins.