Customized Voter Power

LakeVoterPower.info is the one-click source for your voter empowerment. Resources include confirmation you are registered, a list of candidates, a preview of your election ballot, location plus driving directions for your voting options and your current elected officials. See your customized Voter Power page after entering your first and last name, house number, zip code and date of birth. Voter Power provides the option to fill out a Request for Ballot by Mail to print, sign and mail to us.The data is transmitted via a secured (SSL) page and is not stored or collected on the site.

Early Voting In Your Area

Every registered voter has the convenient option to vote early in person the two weeks before Tuesday, November 6. Illinois law requires early voters to provide a current, government-issued photo ID. Early voting begins October 22 and ends November 3. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit LakeVoterPower.info to see a picture of your voting site and get driving directions.

Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on November 6. To confirm your voting site, visit LakeVoterPower.info or call 847.377.2410. 

Grace Period Registration 

Grace period registration is available at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until November 2, and Saturday, October 27 and November 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, residents of their precinct for 30 days before Election Day, 18 years old on or before the election, and provide two forms of identification. Those who register under the grace period provision must vote at the time of registration.

2012 Assessment Notices for Ela and Vernon Townships were mailed on September 26. Any assessments that received a change in value due to something other than equalization were published in the Pioneer Press on September 27.

The deadline to appeal in Ela and Vernon Townships is October 29. This is your only opportunity to appeal your assessment until fall of 2013.

Visit the Chief County Assessment Office for more information.

The Chief County Assessment Office is holding public information meetings and tax assessment help centers to help residents understand their property assessment. View the full list of outreach sessions.

Ela Township Assessor  

John Barrington   

(847) 438-8370   

jbarrington@lakecountyil.gov

Vernon Township Assessor

Gary Raupp

(847) 634-4602

graupp@lakecountyil.gov 

Occupying more than 1,600 acres and churning out nearly 4 million trained recruits over the last 101 years, Naval Station Great Lakes is a massive presence in Lake County. But even people who live alongside the naval base have misconceptions about what goes on there.

The base's mission is training, but few people know that it functions much like a city. The base pulls its own water from Lake Michigan and produces steam for heating. It has its own fire and police departments to serve the 15,000-20,000 people living and working there each day. And the base's public works department can do everything from fixing a broken pipe to renovating a building.

With college facilities, restaurants and football fields on the premises, Naval Station Great Lakes is a city of its own. But sailors and staff also venture beyond the base's gates and contribute to the local economy and volunteer in the surrounding communities.

Watch a video about Naval Station Great Lakes' day-to-day operations. 

The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County is offering tips to help make your Halloween environmentally friendly. Among SWALCO's recommendations are recycling your pumpkin into a Thanksgiving decoration (and then composting it), making Halloween crafts from recycled items, such as egg crates, and holding a parade of recycled costumes in your neighborhood.

Read the Putting the Green in Your Halloween booklet for more ways to keep the environment in mind during your Halloween celebrations.

Breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer among women of all ethnicities. With National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center maintains that now is an opportune time for women to consider how their choices may be putting them more at risk of breast cancer. Nationally, the number of diagnoses each year exceeds 200,000, and in Lake County, on average, 596 women a year are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, based on the most recent report from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

While family history has a role in a woman's susceptibility, there are also nutritional choices women can make to decrease the risk of breast cancer. Additionally, regular exercise will help manage body weight and elevated levels of estrogen, a hormone that may be involved in development of breast cancer. Read the full press release for tips on reducing your risk.

Watch Lake County's Focus on Fitness series for tips to increase your physical activity.

The Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center reports that the number of pertussis cases in Lake County thus far this year (178) have already surpassed last year's total for the full year (175). This is the highest number of cases reported since 1959. The Health Department is encouraging adolescents and adults to receive the Tdap booster for additional protection against this illness.

"To address this outbreak, everyone 11 years of age and older should receive the Tdap booster," said Irene Pierce, the Health Department's Executive Director.  "While this illness was on the decline just a few years ago, it is now a major reportable disease in Lake County. And not only Lake County is affected. Illinois currently has the fifth highest number of pertussis cases nationwide."

Read the full press release, or read more about pertussis.

Vernon Hills Fall Fest

October 26, 6-9 p.m.

Sullivan Community Center, 635 Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills

Children and their families will enjoy indoor trick or treating, magic show, face painter, carnival games and a costume contest parade. Refreshments will be available for sale. Fall Fest tickets on sale now at the Sullivan Center. $1 each for those 2 years and older $5 each if purchased on October 26. More info.

Trick or Treating Hours

Vernon Hills and Hawthorn Woods

 4-8 p.m. October 31

Indoor Boat Storage

Protect your boat this winter in a secure, indoor storage building at the Marina at the Fox River Forest Preserve. We can hoist your boat out and pack it away. Resident rates are $21 per foot for boats with a trailer. Personal watercraft storage is a flat rate of $250. Storage runs October 13 through April 28. For details, call the Marina at 847.381.0669.

Halloween Hikes

Take a one-hour guided group hike along a candlelit path to watch several nature-themed performances at Ryerson Woods in Deerfield, October 26-27. Finish off at a cozy cabin fireplace with cider and a fresh doughnut. The skits are not scary, so even your littlest will enjoy this family favorite. $7 resident/$9 nonresident. Info and registration. 

Trick or Treat Trails

Bring the family to the Greenbelt Cultural Center and trick or treat along our interactive haunted trails on October 28. The event is free and open to all ages. There will be a costume contest with prizes, mask making, games, nature activities, and refreshments. Join us for a fun-filled and safe Halloween! Free. More info.

Rainbow Trout Season

Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda will open for rainbow trout fishing on October 20, following trout stocking in Banana Lake. Most of the trout range in size from three-quarters to one pound. Trout stocking is a biannual fall and spring event at the 3.2-acre Banana Lake. Daily creel limit is five. 

Fishing in the Lake County Forest Preserves is free. Anglers ages 16 and over must have an Illinois fishing license. Trout fishermen must also have an Illinois inland trout stamp. Download a free guide to fishing in the Lake County Forest Preserves or call 847.367.6640 to request a copy. More information about fishing in Illinois. 

Dear Neighbor, 

I hope you find this information helpful.  Please continue to ask questions and suggest topics for the e-newsletter. 

With so much going on at all levels of government, don't hesitate to contact me with your questions and concerns regarding this or other issues.  You can reach me via email or on my cell at (847) 971-0454.  

It is an honor to serve YOU on the County Board and Forest Preserve Board.

Sincerely,

Aaron Lawlor

P.S.  If this email was forwarded to you, please click here to sign up so I can get you information directly - especially in the case of a road closure, weather emergency or other issues.