Park Forest Village Hall will serve as an early voting site for the Illinois primary election scheduled for March 17. Early voting is set to take place from March 2 through March 16 in the Board Conference Room at Village Hall. Voting hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Election officials will have access to the building one hour before polls open each day for setup and preparation of polling equipment and materials.
The upcoming primary includes several notable races, including the contest to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and the Republican primary to determine who will challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the general election this fall. Congressional races are also drawing attention, with U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi running for Senate, while longtime representatives Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis are retiring.
At the county level, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle faces a Democratic primary challenge from Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly.
Residents who are not registered to vote have until February 17 for regular registration, while online registration remains open through March 1 via the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
To register in Illinois, individuals must be U.S. citizens, at least 17 years old by the date of the primary (and 18 by the general election), residents of their precinct for at least thirty days prior to Election Day, not serving a sentence in a penal institution, and must not claim voting rights elsewhere.
Grace period registration is available through Election Day for those who miss earlier deadlines; voters may register and cast ballots on the same day at early voting sites or designated polling places with two forms of identification—one showing their current address.
Additional information about voter registration status can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
According to its official website, Village of Park Forest operates under a council-manager government with a mayor and six trustees overseeing strategic objectives that include strengthening economic growth, providing innovative municipal services, fostering community health initiatives, promoting sustainability efforts recognized in town planning practices, supporting educational opportunities such as its Civic Leadership Academy, and encouraging civic engagement through dedicated commissions and programs.
