State of Illinois Elections and Voting
Election day is November 8, 2022
- September 29 First day for early voting
- September 29 Mail-in (absentee) ballots sent out
- October 11 Deadline for in-person voter registration
- October 12 First day of in-person grace period voter registration
- October 23 Deadline for online voter registration
- November 7 Last day to apply in-person for a vote-by-mail (absentee) ballot
- November 7 Last day of early voting
- November 8 Deadline to postmark vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots
- November 8 Election Day
To register to vote in Illinois:
- You must be a United States Citizen.
- You must be 17 years old on or before the date of the Primary Election and turn 18 on or before the date of the General or Consolidated Election.
- You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
- You must not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction.
- You may not claim the right to vote anywhere else.
How to register to vote:
You can register to vote online or in person. Two forms of identification with at least one showing your current residence address are needed when you register in-person. If you register by mail, sufficient proof of identity is required by submission of your driver’s license number or State identification card number. If you do not have either of those, verification by the last 4 digits of your social security number, a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows your name and address will be required. A person may also demonstrate sufficient proof of identity by submission of an identification card issued by a college or university accompanied by either a copy of the applicant’s contract or lease for a residence or any postmarked mail delivered to the applicant at their current residence address.
Voter ID Requirements
Illinois does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. First-time voters who registered by mail and did not submit their driver’s license number, state ID number, last four digits of their social security number, or other form of ID are required to present identification showing their name and address before voting.
Early Voting
Registered voters may cast a ballot prior to Election Day without having to provide a reason for wanting to vote early. This ballot is cast by personal appearance at the office of the election authority or at an early voting center.
Vote-by-Mail
Any registered voter can vote by mail in Illinois. The State Board of Elections website has an online system that will guide a voter through the process of applying to vote by mail. Users will either be linked to an online application for their local election authority or to a downloadable pdf file with instructions for returning it to the local election authority. You can mail your ballot, deliver it in person to the office of your local election authority or, in many election jurisdictions, drop it in a secure drop box. About half of Illinois election jurisdictions offer the drop box option. Check the State Board of Elections website for an online list of drop box locations
Resources
- Guide for Voter Registration Drives in Illinois
- Native American Voting Rights (NAVRA)
- A Tribal Leaders Guide to Prepare for the Next Election
- Addressing: A Guide for Tribes
- Native Language Speakers Have Voting Rights!
- Examples of Voter Discrimination and Suppression in Indian Country
- Native Americans Depend on Ballot Collection
Tribes in Illinois
Federally recognized tribes
- None
State recognized tribes
- None
Native Vote Coordinator(s):
- Melanie Cloud, American Indian Association of Illinois
- Barbara Caldwell, Ojibwe
Sign up to be a local Native Vote coordinator today!
Major Party Contact Information
Democrat
Michael J. Madigan
http://ildems.com/
Republican
Tim Schneider
http://illinois.gop/