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Illinois | Voting Guide
Voting Guide
Illinois
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 28 days before Election Day for registration by mail and 16 days before Election Day for online registration.
Grace period registration is available in person at specific locations after the registration deadline and at some polling places on Election Day. Contact your local election authority or check online for locations.
2023
•Consolidated Primary Election registration deadline (by mail): January 31
•Consolidated Primary Election registration deadline (online): February 12
•Consolidated Primary Election: February 28
•Consolidated Election registration deadline (by mail): March 7
•Consolidated Election registration deadline (online): March 19
•Consolidated Election: April 4
Official Election Websites
More election information at:
https://www.elections.il.gov/Default.aspx
Online voter registration available at:
ova.elections.il.gov/
Mail-in PDF voter registration form available at: https://bit.ly/IL-Mail-In-PDF
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
•The Illinois online voter registration portal requires your Illinois driver's license or ID number
•The Illinois paper voter registration form asks for your Illinois driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
•If you are registering to vote for the first time, are applying by mail, and do not have an ID number or Social Security number, you must submit a copy of a current and valid photo ID, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and current address. This type of documentation includes a student ID card, coupled with either a copy of your lease for a residence, or any postmarked mail delivered to you at your current residence address.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
You do not need ID to vote in Illinois.
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail
Any registered Illinois voter can vote by mail without an excuse
A mail-in ballot application can be submitted in-person or by mail. Some counties offer the option to submit an online application. The Illinois State Board of Elections’ website will direct voters in these counties to their county’s online application form.
Your application must be received no later than 5 days before Election Day. You can return your completed mail-in ballot by mail or in-person at your local election authority's office.
Completed mail-in ballots must be returned in-person by the close of the polls on Election Day or, if returned by mail, postmarked on or before Election Day.
You can find a list of drop box locations in your election jurisdiction at:
Early In-person
All voters may vote early in person without an excuse. Contact your local election authority for information about early voting locations and hours or check online at: https://www.elections.il.gov/VotingAndRegistrationSystems/EarlyVotingLocationsSearch.aspx?MID=TupjX5bI18I%3d&T=637901985710909307.
Voters may vote at any early voting site established by the local election authority.
Early voting takes place from the 40th day before Election Day through the day before Election Day.
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by closing time, then you have a right to cast a ballot.
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Illinois affect my driver’s license or car registration?
As a resident of Illinois, you may be required to obtain an Illinois driver’s license or update your car registration, regardless of whether you register to vote there. For more information, you may wish to contact the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Illinois legal professional.
Last updated January 2023