Research Guides: Evanston Politics and Government: Voting and Elections

Evanston Municipal Elections

Elections are held in April of every other odd numbered year. All elected officials serve 4 year terms. Aldermen are elected by the citizens of their wards and the entire city council is up for election at the same time. The mayor and the city clerk are elected at-large. The city clerk is the local election official and the clerk's office is responsible for all matters involving local elections.

Information for Voters

Your Voter Information (Cook County Clerk)
Use this search tool to: verify your voter registration; find your polling place; view sample ballots; check your mail ballot status; get a list of your elected officials and their contact information.
Register to Vote (Cook County Clerk)
Where and how to register: online, by mail, and in-person.
NU Votes (Northwestern University)
A non-partisan initiative of the Center for Civic Engagement to provide the Northwestern community with accessible and understandable information about voter registration and voting procedures.
Election Results (Cook County Clerk)
An archive of election results in suburban Cook County and the City of Chicago going back to 1998. All offices and ballot measures are included. Results are available down to the precinct level.

Election Officials

City Clerk
The only full-time elected official in Evanston, the city clerk is the secretary to the city council, official custodian of the city code and public records, and the local election official for municipal elections. Voters may register in person at the clerk's office. Candidates for municipal office file their petitions with the city clerk. Signature requirements for each office are available on the clerk's web site.
Cook County Clerk
The Cook County Clerk serves as the chief election authority for suburban Cook County. The Clerk's office maintains birth, marriage and death records, assists property owners in redeeming delinquent taxes, and records the activity of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Illinois State Board of Elections
The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency that was provided for by the 1970 Illinois Constitution to supervise the registration of voters and the administration of elections throughout the state.

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Campaign Finance

Illinois Sunshine (Illinois Campaign for Political Reform)
A tool for browsing political contributions in the state of Illinois. The data comes directly from the Illinois State Board of Elections, but this site provides much better functionality.
Campaign Finance LibGuide (Northwestern University Library)

Running for Local Office

Information for Candidates (Illinois State Board of Elections)
The time, place, and manner of electing public officials for state, county, and municipal office in Illinois is set by state statute (10 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/) and is administered by the Illinois Board of Elections. This site contains information on offices up for election, the qualifications to run for office, requirements for gathering signatures and filing nominating papers, and campaign finance and other disclosure requirements.