Clay County, Illinois
Everything a Clay County, Illinois voter needs in one place: registration, voter ID, absentee and early voting, and your sample ballot. Home to about 12,800 people, Clay County ranks 80th in population among Illinois's 102 counties. In Illinois, elections are run by local election authorities: usually the county clerk, or a board of election commissioners in some cities and counties.
Next Election
March 21, 2028
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register by mail at least 28 days before an election or online until 16 days before; grace-period and same-day registration are also available in person through Election Day.
Why Voting Matters
Voting is how Clay County residents shape the decisions made in their name. The next election for Clay County voters is Illinois's general primary on March 21, 2028; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Many Clay County jobs are in manufacturing and health care, so decisions about manufacturing jobs and health care costs hit close to home.
Clay County voters cast about 6,770 ballots for president in 2024, down about 2% from 6,900 in 2020. Compared with the county's roughly 10,100 adult residents, that works out to about 67%, above the statewide rate of about 56%.
Put another way, about 3,340 adults in Clay County sat that election out. Not all of them can vote, but if even 5% of them did, that would be roughly 167 more ballots, often more than the margin in races for local councils, school boards, the legislature or Congress.
Covering about 468 square miles with roughly 27 people per square mile, Clay County is the kind of rural community where a few dozen votes can settle a local election. The county is home to about 0.1% of Illinois's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Clay County include 62424, 62426, 62434, 62443, 62448, 62824, 62838 and 62839, plus 5 more. Confirm your registration, read through your sample ballot before Election Day, and choose whether you will vote early, by mail or in person. Invite someone you know in Clay County to join you.
Voter Assistance Resources
Questions about voting in Clay County? In Illinois, elections are run by local election authorities: usually the county clerk, or a board of election commissioners in some cities and counties. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Clay County election authority (county clerk or board of election commissioners).
Statewide directory, Illinois State Board of Elections' election authorities list:
https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionAuthorities.aspx
See your sample ballot. Illinois election authorities list (your local election authority posts sample ballots):
https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionAuthorities.aspx
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
Free, nonpartisan help is available before and on every Election Day: call or text the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682). Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Clay County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Equip for Equality, Illinois's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (800) 537-2632. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our Illinois voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Clay County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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