Deputy Registrar
Individuals who serve as deputy registrars play a vital role in the democratic process by providing a quick and convenient way to register people to vote.
All deputy registrars working in Illinois are sponsored by a certified organization or state agency and have been trained by a county clerk's office or other election authority.
Qualifications
A Cook County deputy registrar must be:
- A voter registered in Cook County
- Sponsored by a registered state, civic or labor organization, school, or corporation.
- Trained by the Clerk's office
- Eighteen years old by Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Signing up voters
A recent change in state law now allows deputy registrars to sign up voters anywhere in Illinois - not only the jurisdiction where they live or were trained.
As a deputy registrar, you will verify the identity of the person registering to vote, complete the registration card and return it to one of our designated sites.
Registrars return the completed forms to the Cook County Clerk's office or the nearest township clerk's office within seven days. The Clerk's office then adds the name to the voter rolls and the new voter will receive a voter identification card in the mail within a few weeks.
Sponsors
To become a deputy registrar, a sponsoring organization certified by the State Board of Elections must submit your name to the Clerk's office. Certified sponsors include community organizations, interest groups, churches, schools, unions, political parties and campaigns and local political organizations.
If you have questions about an organization or want to know which ones are certified, call the Clerk's office at (312) 603-0906.
Training
The Cook County Clerk's office trains people who want to become deputy registrars in suburban Cook County at the request of their sponsoring organization. You must attend a one-hour training session and take the deputy registrar oath.
All individuals who wish to attend one of these classes must contact Jonathan Williams at (312) 603-0987 at least one day prior to taking the class in order to enroll.
If your bona fide state civic organization would like to host a deputy registrar
training class for your members, please click here for
the Deputy Registrar Training Request form. Please note: in order to
schedule a class, you must have at least 25 people for training.
Training Calendar
Recommissions
For deputy registrars being recommissioned by their sponsoring organization,
click here to
download the Deputy Voter Registrar Oath form. The term for recommissioned
deputy registrars is from December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2008.
Terms
Deputy registrar commissions expire on November 30th of every even numbered year.
Electioneering
Deputy registrars are strictly forbidden from engaging in electioneering, which includes discussing politics, wearing buttons, handing out literature, or promoting a candidate or cause while signing up voters.
Deadlines
Deputy registrars may sign people up to vote until the registration deadline - 27 days before an election.
Target voters
Although there are several ways for people to register to vote, some 250,000 qualified individuals (U.S. citizens who are 18 or older) living in suburban Cook County remain unregistered. Those who may need to register include people who have recently moved, changed their name, become U.S. citizens or just turned 18.
Deputy registrars can start by signing up friends and neighbors. Village fairs, picnics, religious events and block parties can also present ideal opportunities to conduct a voter registration event. Ask an organization you are affiliated with about setting up a registration table at the next meeting or event.
Plan activities
- Select a location. Always receive permission before setting up a registration area.
- Arrange for supplies. Make sure a table and chairs are available.
- Publicize the activity. You may want to print fliers or write a press release to promote the event. The Clerk's office can supply signs to post the day of the event.
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