Illinois

How to Vote in Illinois

If you have any questions that are not answered here, have an issue where someone is trying to prevent you or someone else from exercising their right to vote, or have an issue with being able to vote, please call the Illinois Voter Protection Hotline at: 224-990-2200. However, because this hotline gets a lot of calls, please only call them if you haven't been able to find the help you need here or elsewhere. Your local board of elections can answer certain questions.

Here's the Great News: It's Very Easy to Vote in Illinois! Illinois has:

Same Day Voter Registration: (You can register and vote on Election Day or on any other day before the election, as long as the location is open).
No ID Needed to Vote: You do NOT have to show ID if you are registered to vote in almost all case. The only times where you might need to provide an ID at the polls are in very specific situations, like if you are a new voter who is registering on Election Day, or you have recently moved, and your new address doesn’t match your voter registration card/information. Illinois has many ways that you can identify yourself and vote without needing a photo ID. You can have something that identifies you (it’s a good idea to bring 2 documents) but doesn’t have a photo, like utility bills or bank statements. If you are married, your spouse can come with you to the polls and swear to your name and address, and that’s an accepted form of verification. Residents of Illinois who come to vote in the precinct listed on their voter registration cards (a cardboard paper your county’s board of elections will mail you before elections) do not need to show an ID to vote.
You Don't Need a Reason or Excuse to Vote By Mail: All you have to do is visit this website and follow the instructions: Illinois Vote By Mail Request.
Voting By Mail is Easy, and you Don't Even Have to Pay for Postage: Your vote-by-mail ballot will come with an envelope that is prepaid, so all you need to do is fill out all of the information out, drop it in the mail box or at your local precinct's voting location, and you're done.
If You're In Line to Vote by the Time the Polls Close, You Must Legally be Allowed to Vote, so make sure you're in line by 7pm if you're voting in person.
The Polls are Open for 13 Hours on Election Day: You can vote from 6am-7pm.

Voting Absentee (By Mail) in Illinois

Voting Absentee means requesting a ballot to be mailed to you. To request one, use the link above. You have three options on how to return your ballot.

(1). Mail it back, in the envelope that will be given to you (it's inside the envelope they send your ballot in) to the address on the envelope. You have until November 3 to mail back your ballot (postmark it by 7 pm. Be sure you fill out the return envelope that the board of election has provided accurately and completely---your ballot will not count if you don't do this. Also, be sure you seal the envelope well.

(2). Drop your Ballot off at your Local Drop Box before November 3 (Election Day). **NOTE: You must drop it off at YOUR LOCAL DROP BOX ONLY--if you drop it off anywhere in the county, it will probably not count. To find out where you can drop it off, visit Drop Off Locations for Illinois Absentee Voting. You CANNOT drop your ballot off without in being in its proper envelope (which must be completely filled out and filled out correctly and sealed).

(3). Drop Your Ballot Off on Election Day (November 3): At this point, you will need to drop your ballot off at your regular precinct/polling location. Visit here to find out Where To Drop Off Absentee Ballots in Illinois.

Answers to FAQs for Illinois Voters

How Do I Register to Vote? You may already by automatically registered! That's the good news--and to see if you are eligible to be automatically registered, visit the Automatic Voter Registration in Illinois page.
Am I Registered to Vote? You can find out here: Am I Registered to Vote in Illinois?.
How Do I Register to Vote? You can register in several ways. You can register online with this form: Illinois Online Voter Registration. Or, you can register to vote in person at your local driver's license office. You can also register to vote by mail. If you decide to do that, you will need to download one of these forms, and you should either mail it back according to the instructions, or you can also take it in person to your local DMV office. To find the forms to register to vote by mail, please visit the Illinois Voter Information page, and click on "Information for Voters." If you scroll down, you will see the online application and the forms in English, as well as in Spanish. Para encontrar los formularios para registrarse para votar por correo, visite la página de Información para votantes de Illinois y haga clic en "Información para votantes". Si se desplaza hacia abajo, verá la solicitud en línea en español.
I'd Like to Vote Early In-Person: Where Do I Go? Visit Early Voting Locations for Illinois to find your polling place.
Can I Vote if I Was Convicted of a Crime? What if it Was a Felony? Yes! In most cases, you can vote! If it's a felony, you will be able to vote once you have completed your sentence entirely. You will also need to re-register if you were convicted for a felony. For information on how to vote for anyone who has been convicted of a crime in the past, visit this page: Voting in Illinois for Anyone With a Felony Conviction. They'll make sure you're able to vote as soon as you're eligible, and if it's not a certain type of crime, you can vote now!