The November 6 elections are important. All elections constitute importance, to a greater or lesser extent. Early voting is helpful to many serious participants in our democracy. Perhaps some day there will not be mechanical ballot problems when the State sends out paper ballots by mail and there will not be polling places.
Both Oregon and Washington have a process of sending out ballots by mail. The system works well. Illinois should not shrink from making a change to a flawed system, even if the flaws are not great or evident. We can change!
Last week in this space we listed the early voting sites, which, except for the County Clerk’s office, started this week. Early voting takes care of and solves any last-minute rush from the process of our lives.
There is an addendum to early voting for those Will County residents in Aurora, Naperville, and Plainfield. Early voting in the Will County portion of Aurora is at Wheatland Township office. Wheatland Township once was a thriving rural area that since has been absorbed, in part, by suburban living. Naperville Will County voters only can vote early at the City government offices. Plainfield voters can vote early at the Plainfield Village Hall.
The Will County Clerk’s office has taken over in Will County in administering to the voters once served by the Aurora Election Commission, which was voted out of duty in the election earlier this year.
• More Aurora and Naperville: Forty-nine volunteers worked to gather the remains of the harvest following the official closing of the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots for the 2018 season. It closed October 15. Volunteers came from Naperville Evening Kiwanis, the vocational program at Metea Valley High School in Aurora, a part of District 204, University of Illinois Extension master gardeners, Naperville Park District Garden Plot ambassadors, and the Naperville Community Gardeners. Master gardeners Ron Ory and Logan Wasson developed the idea to glean vegetables at the Garden Plots in 2011. There will be a Pumpkin Smash for composting in Naperville from 9 a.m. to noon November 3 at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots, 811 West Street in Naperville.
• The Aurora city government reminds that the annual Gifts from Home program for the active members of the military overseas has a deadline of Friday, Nov. 16 to submit information. The military member’s name, rank, military address, and branch of service should be submitted to special events at the Aurora city government, 630.256.3370.
• The Robert R. McCormick House at Cantigny Park will be host Saturday, Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. to Frank Cicero, Jr., author of Creating the Land of Lincoln. The History and Constitutions of Illinois, 1778-1870, recounts how three constitutions shaped the Illinois Prairie State that has evolved.