Voting & Civil Rights

This article will give you some basic information about voting in Illinois. To vote, you must be registered. The information below will [no-lexicon]answer[/no-lexicon] some questions about registering to vote and the voting process. 

Registering to vote

Your local election authority is in charge of voter registration. This could be your county clerk's office or board of election commissioners. Find your local election authority on the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Generally, you must register to vote at least 27 days before the next election. However, Illinois law allows in-person registration after this deadline up to and including Election Day. During this grace period, you must register in person and cast your ballots upon registering.

To register to vote, you must:

• Be a US citizen,
• Be at least 18 years old by Election Day (Note: You can vote in the primary if you are 17 years old. You must turn 18 by the General Election Day), and
• Have been a resident of the precinct at least 30 days before Election Day.

You can register to vote in different ways:

• Register online through the ISBE website. If you have a driver's license, you may link the registration to your information in the driver's license database.
• Register by mail by completing an application. You must send the form to your election authority by the registration deadline. The election authority must verify your ID before the vote. Otherwise, you will need to vote in person the first time and present your ID.
• Register in person at the offices of your local election authority, precinct committee offices, and some schools or public libraries. You can also register at certain state agencies when applying for services, such as the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
• As of January 1, 2024, you can pre-register to vote after your 16th birthday. You will be eligible to vote after you turn 18.
• You may also register to vote when you apply for a new driver's license or change your address on your license. 

Not sure if you are registered to vote? Check to see if you are registered on the Voter Registration Lookup tool. 

Important: If you are not a U.S. citizen, do not register to vote. This includes situations where an employee at the Secretary of State's office, a county office, or any other government agency offers you a registration form or tells you that you can register. Do not state, either verbally or in writing, that you are a U.S. citizen.

Early voting

Early voting allows voters to cast a ballot in person before election day. You do not need a reason or excuse to vote early.

Generally, early voting begins 40 days before Election Day and ends the day before Election Day. It takes place at the office of the local election authority. It also takes place at other designated locations. An election authority may establish permanent polling places for early voting. These locations may include:

• A municipal clerk's office
• A township clerk's office
• A road district clerk's office
• A county or local public agency office

There may also be temporary locations. Some locations may also provide curb-side voting options. Visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website or contact your local election authority for a list of locations.

If you use early voting, your vote will not be counted until Election Day. If you vote early, you cannot vote again on Election Day. This is true even if you change your mind about who you want to vote for.

Voting by mail

You can also vote by mail. Voting by mail is also called absentee voting. A voter registered in Illinois can request and vote with an absentee ballot without needing to give a reason for why they can't vote on Election Day. Learn more about voting by mail. 

Election day

Federal law states that a general election must be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. Here are the voter information websites for different parts of Illinois:

• City of Chicago
• DuPage County
• Kane County
• Kendall County
• Lake County
• McHenry County
• Will County
• State Board of Elections

Polling places are open on Election Day from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.  If a voter is in line at 7:00 pm, the voter has a right to cast a vote. Find your local polling place with this ZIP Code lookup tool.

Employees are allowed to take 2 hours off from work to vote at the polls. You must tell your employer before Election Day that you want this time off. General Election Day is an official state holiday. Public schools must observe Election Day. Most students, government workers, and teachers will get the day off to vote. Private school students are allowed to be absent from school for 2 hours to vote in an election. This can be anytime 15 days before an election. 

Provisional voting

Provisional voting allows someone to vote on Election Day even if their ability to vote has been questioned. Provisional ballots are kept separate from other ballots. They require verification by the election authority. 

Every challenged voter must be told about provisional ballots. Election judges and signs in the polling place have this information. Voters should ask for a provisional ballot if their eligibility to vote is challenged. A provisional ballot must be offered to a voter when:

• Election judges have no record of the individual,
• A voter's voting status has been successfully challenged,
• A voter did not provide identification when registering by mail,
• A court order extends the time for closing the polls,
• The voter’s name appears on the list of voters who voted during early voting, or
• The voter received a mail ballot but did not return the ballot.

I need help marking my ballot 

You have the right to receive assistance marking your ballot. You will be asked to sign an affidavit stating that you wish to receive the help.

You may receive help from anyone you choose. You may also be assisted by two election judges. 

The only people who cannot assist you include:

• Your employer,
• An agent of your employer, or
• A representative of your union.

If you have limited English skills and need language assistance, ask your local election authority if they provide any help, such as translated materials, bilingual election judges or staff, and language hotlines.

Voters with disabilities

Voting must be accessible to people with disabilities. Illinois has developed a vote by mail or assistive technology system for voters with a disability. Some of these include: 

• Curbside voting: allows voters who are unable to enter a polling place to vote within 50 feet of the voting place. At least 2 election judges from opposite parties bring the ballot out to the voters and the voters cast their ballots. Contact your election authority at least one day before Election Day if you wish to use curbside voting. 
• Voting equipment: polling places must provide accessible voting equipment, including non-visual systems for the blind and visually impaired, such as direct responding electronic (DRE) voting systems. These touchscreen machines can operate in audio mode and should be available in every polling place, with at least one election judge trained to assist with them. 

Equip for Equality is the statewide protection system for people with disabilities. You can call about any voting problem you have on Election Day from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.:

• (800) 537-2632
• TTY: (800) 610-2779

Who to contact with voting related issues

If you think your rights have been violated, notify an election judge at the polling place right away. If your problem is not promptly resolved, you should contact:

• Your election authority, 
• The Illinois State Board of Elections, or
• The Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. Election Protection is a nationwide alliance of civil rights groups that monitor voting issues and ensure full and equal access.

For more information about elections and your rights as a voter, visit the board’s website. The Board's phone numbers are: 

• (312) 814-6440 
• TTY: (800) 964-3013