Illinois Voting Guide

When is Illinois's voter registration deadline?

The deadline for regular registration is 27 days prior to an election. The deadline for online registration is 16 days prior to an election. Illinois, however, has a grace period that lets you register after the deadlines, as long as you do so in person and cast your ballot at the same time.

Grace period registration and voting are available from the 27th day before the day of the election through Election Day. (See "Where do I vote?" below for more information.)

How do I request an absentee ballot in Illinois?

Absentee ballots are issued to any registered Illinois voter, including those who:

• Are unavoidably absent from their polling site on Election Day
• Are serving in the military away from their polling place, or are a spouse or family member of such a person
• Are Illinois residents temporarily living outside the United States
• Would prefer to vote by mail 

To vote by mail, complete an application for a vote-by-mail ballot. If completing a paper copy, you will need to send your application to the election authority in the county where you are registered to vote.

What do I need to bring to the polls in Illinois?

At the polling place, you don't need to show ID if you're registered to vote. You might be asked for ID if an election judge challenges your right to vote, or if you didn't provide ID when registering by mail, so it's a good idea to bring one just in case.

Examples of acceptable ID include:

• Driver's license or state ID
• Passport
• Military ID
• Credit or debit card
• Insurance card
• College, school or work ID
• Vehicle registration card
• Illinois FOID card
• Lease, mortgage or deed to a home
• Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid card
• Civic, union or professional membership card
• LINK/Public Aid/Department of Human Services card

Some kinds of mail addressed to you also can be used as ID, including a utility bill, a school transcript, a bank statement, and a pay stub. If you have no ID at all, you can still cast a provisional ballot.

What special accommodations are available?

Illinois' polling places accommodate disabled voters such as by providing magnifying lenses, touchscreens, sip-and-puff devices, curbside voting, and audio voting.

You can also get help voting from a friend or neighbor, or from an election official. You and the person helping you will be required to sign an affidavit. You may also ask for help from two election judges, one from each major political party.

What do I do if I see something illegal at the polls?

If you see or experience anything that seems illegal at the polls, or have complaints about an election official, you should report it.

Notify the Illinois Board of Elections if you:

• Witness a crime such as voter fraud or intimidation
• Believe an election official broke the law or abused their discretion
• Experienced a violation of the Help America Vote Act

You can also contact an attorney experienced in voting laws if you feel your individual voting rights have been violated.