County clerk details election adjustments after court-ordered ballot change; early voting underway
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Summary
Stephenson County’s clerk described operational changes after a court-ordered certification update required removing a gubernatorial candidate from specimen ballots; county officials began early voting Feb. 5 and reported 191 early voters and more than 1,400 mailed ballots.
County Clerk (S3) told the Administration Legal Affairs Committee on Feb. 11 that the office adjusted the election timeline and ballot materials after a court-ordered certification update. The clerk said a Jan. 27 court order required an updated certification to county election offices statewide and that staff removed a gubernatorial candidate from specimen ballots before proceeding.
"On January 27, 1 day later, the court ordered an updated, certification to our office to everyone in the state of Illinois," County Clerk (S3) said, describing the sequence that prompted last-minute changes to specimen ballots and early voting preparations. The clerk said the county proceeded with early voting on Feb. 5 based on the most up-to-date certification from the State Board of Elections.
Why it matters: the clerk framed the changes as procedural steps taken to keep the election on schedule while complying with court and state certification directives. The office is also managing ancillary election tasks that affect many local officials and taxing bodies.
The clerk provided operational details: roughly 650 statements of economic interest were distributed to taxing districts and are due May 1; levy confirmations were sent to taxing districts so they could verify certified levy amounts; and the clerk’s office received 40 new voting booths that the clerk described as more sturdy and partially accessible.
"As of today, we have a 191 early voters, and we have over 1,400 vote by mail ballots out in the mail," County Clerk (S3) told the committee.
The clerk also described outreach and staffing steps: election judges received confirmation letters (about 140 were sent, with 15 'no' responses), and the office mailed ballots to military voters. The clerk said the office had to reconfigure some early voting scheduling when the court-ordered certification arrived, and that the county followed the practice of many Illinois election officials in beginning early voting on Feb. 5.
Next steps: the clerk said staff will continue to monitor certification developments, complete behind-the-scenes tasks such as specimen ballot proofs and ballot mailings, and field questions from voters and local taxing districts as ballots and levy confirmations are finalized.
