Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten announced Thursday that the period for in-person and by-mail voting for the April 7 General Election is now open to eligible voters.

Voters can request a mail-in ballot on the Champaign County Clerk website and complete the required form by calling into their offices at 217-384-3724 or by sending an email to [email protected].

Voters can also vote in-person at the County Clerk’s office in Urbana between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. More voting locations will be available the week before the General Election.

Hulton also announced that sample ballots for the General Election are now available, which contain the full list of candidates running for each elected office as well as ballot measures to be voted on.

“Sample ballots are a useful tool for voters to begin educating themselves about candidates and referenda on which they will be voting,” Hulton said in a statement. “Voters who are unfamiliar with the candidates or issues on their ballot can get an early feel for the decisions that they will make when voting.”

Among the items on the ballot, voters will decide between Deborah Frank Feinen, Karen Foster, Joe Petry and incumbent Don Gerard who will be next to occupy the Champaign mayoral office. The office of Champaign County Park District Commissioner will also be on the April 7 ballot, as are positions on the Champaign County School Board.

Also on the ballot is a proposition to issue $144 million in school building bonds to finance the construction of new Dr. Howard Elementary School and Central High School buildings, as well as repairs to the Centennial High School and current Central High School buildings.

If you are registered to vote in Champaign County and want to access a sample ballot online, click on “Voter Information Lookup” on the County Clerk’s website and fill out the requested information.

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