Voting In Person

Your polling location is staffed by one Judge of Elections, two Inspectors, a Machine Operator and a Clerk. Some polling locations may have additional staff based on the population of the precinct, or due to interest from qualified high school students. Poll Watchers/Observers may also be present. Click here to learn more about Poll Watchers.

When you arrive at the polling place, you will check in with the poll workers. Follow their instructions, as the check-in process may have changed since the last time you voted. 

If you are eligible to vote a regular ballot, you will be provided with a ballot, a privacy folder and a Sharpie pen; and directed to a private area to fill in your ballot. Take care to fill in the oval next to the candidate you wish to vote for completely. Should you choose to write in a candidate, be sure to also fill in the oval next to the blank line. Keep in mind that the ballots are specifically formatted so that if the ink from the Sharpie bleeds through, it will not impact your selections on the other side of the ballot. We use Sharpies because the ink dries quickly, does not smear and does not leave a residue on the scanning equipment in the polling location. If you would prefer, you may use the ballot marking device to make your selections. 

The ballot marking device can be configured to adapt to a number of needs that a voter may have. If a voter has a disability or injury that prevents them or makes it uncomfortable to fill in their ballot with a Sharpie pen, the ballot marking device is there to ensure they are able to cast a vote without assistance. You can learn more about the many different ways it can be configured by clicking here.  Of course, they may also bring a person with them to assist them in completing their ballot as long as the person is not a Judge of Elections, their employer or union representative. 

If you are not eligible to vote a regular ballot, you may be provided a provisional ballot. Click here to learn more about provisional ballots. Be sure to follow the instructions provided by the Judge of Election very carefully, taking care to complete the envelope & ensure that your ballot is secured inside a secrecy envelope before being placed inside the larger white envelope. 

If you applied for a mail-in/absentee ballot but decide you would prefer to vote in person at your polling place, you can do so. You must bring your ballot in its mailing envelope with you on Election Day, inform the poll workers that you would like to void your mail-in ballot and vote in-person instead, and surrender it to your precinct Judge of Elections. You can then cast a regular in-person ballot.

If you do not have your mail-in/absentee ballot to surrender at your polling place, you may cast a provisional ballot. This will be counted once the Election Board verifies that you did not vote by mail.