Elmhurst residents have until Sunday, Oct. 18, to register to vote online for the Nov. 3 general election. The ballot includes contested state legislative seats, a DuPage County sheriff race and a forest preserve contest pitting two park board members against each other.

After the online deadline passes, voters can still register in person during a grace period at the DuPage County clerk's office, a permanent early voting site or their polling place on Election Day. In-person registration requires two forms of ID, with at least one showing a current address, according to the Patch voter guide.

Elmhurst City Hall, 209 N. York Rd., opens Monday, Oct. 19, as a permanent early voting location with weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., CBS Chicago reported. Villa Park Public Library, 305 S. Ardmore Ave., opens the same day on the same schedule. Voters who prefer mail ballots must apply by Thursday, Oct. 29, through the DuPage County Election Division or by calling 630-407-5600.

Forest preserve race tied to bandshell dispute

The DuPage County Forest Preserve District 1 seat may draw the most local attention. Democrat Susan Smentek and Republican Carolyn Ubriaco, both Elmhurst Park District board members, are competing for the seat being vacated by Marsha Murphy, according to Shaw Local.

The two landed on opposite sides of the Wilder Park bandshell fight. In January, the park board voted 4-3 to build the bandshell on the east lawn of Wilder Mansion. A district survey had shown 70 percent of more than 2,000 respondents preferred the old ice rink site. Smentek voted with the majority. Ubriaco dissented.

The dispute deepened in August when the board voted 5-2 to reject an advisory referendum on the bandshell location for the November ballot. Board member Vince Spaeth pushed back: "Why wouldn't you want to weigh in on it with a vote?" he said at the Aug. 11 meeting, as Patch reported.

State legislative and county races

In the 45th House District, Democratic incumbent Rep. Marti Deuter, a former Elmhurst alderman, faces Republican Gina Parrilli. In the 23rd Senate District, Democratic incumbent Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton runs against Republican Linda Polacek. The Patch guide noted the GOP has largely pulled financial support from both races.

The DuPage County sheriff's race features Democrat Peter Coolidge against Republican Sean Noonan. They are vying to succeed Sheriff James Mendrick, who did not seek a third term and instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Other countywide contests include the board chair race between Democratic incumbent Deb Conroy and Republican Gary Grasso, and the forest preserve president race between Democratic incumbent Daniel Hebreard and Republican Carl Schultz.

Statewide races and referendums

The ballot also carries the governor's race, a rematch between Democratic incumbent JB Pritzker and Republican Darren Bailey, and the U.S. Senate contest between Democrat Juliana Stratton and Republican Don Tracy for the seat long held by Dick Durbin.

DuPage Community High School District 88 placed a $118 million bond referendum on the ballot for safety, ADA and facility improvements at Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools. The district says the bond would not increase the net tax rate.

Election Day polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.