Oak Park and River Forest High School is one of 27 suburban Cook County high schools doubling as a real early voting site ahead of the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election, with students running the polls.
The program, called "Defenders of DA'mocracy," pairs trained student election judges with actual ballots and voting equipment. Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon developed the initiative in partnership with the Chicago Bears, ABC7 Chicago first reported.
At OPRF, the setup is billed as a "Teen Takeover for Democracy." Eligible teen voters and school staff can cast ballots on-site while certified student election judges check in voters, issue ballots and help oversee the process, according to ABC7's report.
The program launched during the March 17 gubernatorial primary with 24 high schools and more than 125 trained student election judges across Cook County, according to the Cook County Clerk's office. It has since expanded to 27 schools for the November election.
The initiative has drawn national recognition. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) awarded the program a Clearinghouse Award for best practices in election administration, the HF Chronicle reported in May. Cook County also listed the program among 115 projects that earned National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards in 2026, according to county records.
Voters who will turn 18 by Nov. 3 are eligible to cast a ballot, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. First-time registrants must bring two forms of identification. One must be a photo ID, and the other must show the voter's current address.
Beyond the school-based sites, Oak Park residents can vote early at Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St., starting Monday, Oct. 19, through Monday, Nov. 2, according to the Wednesday Journal. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Any registered suburban Cook County voter can use the Oak Park site or any of the county's 56 expanded early voting locations.
The Cook County Clerk's early voting page lists all 56 suburban sites. Government-issued photo ID is not required to vote early, according to the clerk's office, though bringing one can speed up the process.
