The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office is asking concerned citizens throughout Whiteside County to become involved with the Neighborhood Watch Program. The Neighborhood Watch Program is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime prevention and law enforcement notification within a neighborhood

Dana Nelson, Whiteside County Clerk, announced today that state law has created a "grace period" for people to register to vote between January 6th and January 26th.  The General Primary Election is February 2, 2010.

Mrs. Nelson said individuals may register in-person during normal office hours at the Clerk's office at Whiteside County Courthouse, 200 E Knox St., Morrison, IL.

However, Nelson said people who register to vote during this period must vote in their County Clerk's office.  People who register during the "grace period" are not elegible to vote at their precinct polling place on Election Day.

For more informartion, contact the Whiteside County Clerk's office at 815-772-5189.

With the General Primary Election a month away, County Clerk Dana Nelson today said that it is time to turn attention to voting-more specifically absentee voting. Illinois election law provides that 40 days before an election, qualified voters can request an application for an absentee ballot from their local County Clerk.

In the past a voter needed a reason to cast an absentee ballot. This law was changed inAugust of 2009. A voter no longer needs to specify a reason for casting an absentee ballot.

Absentee voting will be offered during regular office hours between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. In-person absentee voting will also be offered on Saturday, January 16, 23 and 30, 2010 from 9:00 AM to noon. The last day to vote in-person absentee is Monday, February 1, 2010.

A registered voter may also vote an absentee ballot by mail. Nelson noted that mail applications for absentee ballot must be received by the election authority no later than Thursday, January 28, 2010.

for sample ballots click here

To request absentee ballot call the County Clerk's office at 815-772-5189.

Dana Nelson, Whiteside County Clerk, announces Early Voting Requirements for the February 2, 2010 General Primary Election.  Voters can cast a ballot prior to Election day without having to offer a reason or an excuse for wanting to vote early.  Voters will have to present a government issued photo ID, such as valid driver's license. Early voting will begin on Monday, January 11, 2010 and end on Thursday, January 28, 2010.

Early voting will be conducted at the Whiteside County Courthouse, 200 E Knox St., Morrison on Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM.  Also on Saturday, January 16th and January 23rd in Morrison from 9:00 AM until noon.

There will be early voting on a limited basis available in Sterling for all Whiteside County Precincts at the Eastern Branch Court Facility at 101 E Third St in Sterling .  The dates and times for voting in Sterling are:  January 20, 21 and 22 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The law prohibits a person who voted during the early voting period from voting at the polls on Election Day.  The votes cast during the early voting period will not be counted until after the polls close on Election Day.

click here for Early Voting Schedule

For more information about early voting or voting locations, contact the County Clerk's office at 815-772-5189.

Whiteside County Announces the Premises Alert Program.  The program provides for public safety agencies in Whiteside County to maintain information on individuals with special needs within the county.  The program is completely voluntary and shall remain strictly confidential.  The information provided shall only be used to provide assistance to emergency medical, fire and law enforcement responders.  The purpose of the program is to offer guidance and direction to the public safety workers in responding to and assisting Whiteside County residents with special needs or disabilities.

Anyone interested in the program should contact Sterling Police, Rock Falls Police, Community General Hospital in Sterling or the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office.

click here for Premise Alert Program Notification Form

IDNR will host Whiteside County Floodplain Mapping Open House.  General public provided opportunity to review and comment on the recently produced Whiteside County Flood Insurance Rate Map.