URBANA – Champaign County voters can once again use election drop boxes to send in their mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s local elections.
The seven drop boxes in Champaign and Urbana were used during the November election. But local election officials say there was no state law authorizing their use in other elections. That changed last Friday, when Governor J-B Pritzker signed HB 1871, new election legislation that allows election authorities to resume using drop boxes immediately, and in future elections.
Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons says the Champaign and Urbana drop boxes were re-opened for use on Saturday. They’ll be accepting Champaign County mail-in ballots until 7 P-M on Tuesday.
The drop boxes are located at: the county’s Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana; the Urbana and Champaign public libraries, including the Champaign Douglass Branch; the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District office. 201 W. Kenyon Rd. in Champaign; Sholem Pool, 2205 Sangamon Dr. in Champaign (at the top of the circle drive); and the University of Illinois Quad (not accessible by car).
There are no drop boxes in other parts of Champaign County, which has drawn complaints from county Republicans.
HB 1871 also allows local election authorities to establish curbside voting zones. This would allow any voter to complete a ballot while in their vehicle in a designated zone outside a polling place. Previously, curbside voting was only allowed for voters who have a disability that might make it difficult for them to enter a polling place.
