For the first time in a Presidential Primary Election, all voters in Illinois may request a mail ballot to cast their vote, Clerk David Orr announced Thursday. “In the past, you needed an absentee excuse to vote by mail,” Orr said. “All voters are now eligible for a mail ballot, bringing one more convenient option for participating in the democratic process.” Mail ballot applications are now being accepted for the March 20, 2012 Presidential Primary.

Early Voting for the March 20 Presidential Primary Election is set to start Monday, February 27 at 42 locations in suburban Cook County and one in downtown Chicago, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr You don't have to wait until March 20 to cast a vote in this election, Orr said. Take advantage of the convenience of Early Voting. Early Voting runs through March 15. Suburban Cook County voters can cast their ballots at any of the 42 suburban sites, and the clerk's downtown location. Hours and addresses are listed below and at cookcountyclerk.com.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today the signing of an Executive Order that will strengthen the County’s Budget process and increase collaboration between the President’s office and other offices and departments throughout the County government. The Executive Order mandates the President’s office to issue a preliminary budget on June 30 of each year, a month earlier than a previous executive order required.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle issued the following statement today on the 2012 Illinois Budget proposed by Governor Quinn: “Today the Governor took great steps to lay out the budgetary problems that Illinois is facing in an honest and forthright manner. He laid out a strong framework for pension reform that I hope will prove a successful roadmap for the General Assembly. “While the Governor’s candor struck the right tone, absent from his address were clear recommendations on Medicaid and human services funding.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was joined by Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin and representatives of the Chicago Auto Show today to launch the “Commit to Cook” campaign encouraging residents to support Cook County businesses while engaging the business community to spur economic development.

President Toni Preckwinkle and Treasurer Maria Pappas were joined by Assessor Joseph Berrios, Clerk David Orr, Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore and Board of Review Commissioners Michael Cabonargi, Larry Rogers, and Dan Patlak in announcing the creation of a consolidated website that will offer one-stop shopping for property tax information. “We are making one of the most crucial areas of County government – information about people’s homes and property – more sensitive to their needs, more convenient for their use, more efficient and more transparent for all of our residents,” President Preckwi

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that the County’s Vacant Building Ordinance goes into effect today. The ordinance is aimed at eliminating blight in communities hit hard by the foreclosure crisis by requiring owners and mortgagees to register their properties with the County and maintain the interior and exterior of the buildings to certain standards.

On Friday, February 3, the Brookfield Zoo hosted a Science Fair for Chicago Public Schools Students. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle attended the event as a guest judge, and recognized three students with the Forest Preserve District's Wild About Nature Science Fair Award. The winning students, along with their teachers and families, will be invited to the May 2, 2012 Forest Preserve District Board meeting where they will be recognized by President Preckwinkle and Forest Preserve District Superintendent Arnold Randall. The awarded projects are: 1.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today met with the member of the City-County Collaboration committee, to receive a report about the advancements that the collaboration has made. Mayor Emanuel and President Preckwinkle received reports detailing the amount of savings that was realized during the second quarter, which totaled more than $9.5 million. “President Preckwinkle and I are deeply committed to protecting every dollar of taxpayer money and to finding every opportunity for savings and increased efficiency,” said Mayor Emanuel.

The Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) released the final version of its 2012 – 2016 Capital Improvement Plan at a Board Meeting held on Tuesday, February 2, 2012.