United States Citizens serving in the United States Military Service and their spouses, who are citizens, may vote absentee through the mail whether registered to vote or not.

Members of the National Guard and Reserves who may be called to active duty are entitled to vote by absentee ballot and may do so at the Rockford Board of Election Office. Illinois law provides that persons expecting to be out of the county Election Day may make application for an absentee ballot. Servicemen who have been notified of standby-alert status qualify under this provision.

A military application for ballot received after January 1st of any year is applicable for all elections in that calendar year and the next calendar year. However, the applicant must remember to keep our election office up-to-date on any address changes, so the ballot will arrive in a timely manner.

To avoid mailing delays, military personnel should request an absentee ballot application from his/her commanding officer. Should the application not be available from a commanding officer, a form may be downloaded from the Federal Voting Assistance Program web site   www.fvap.gov/

Persons whose address of record is within the city limits of Rockford , should mail the absentee application to:

  The Rockford Board of Election Commissioners

  301 South 6 th Street

  Rockford , IL 61104