How to vote in Illinois in 2026
Early primary voting opens Feb. 5
Capitol News Illinois has launched this election guide to tell you everything you need to know for the March 17, 2026, primary and Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
You’ll find a list of resources to help you learn how, when and where to vote, as well as how to register. This guide was prepared by editors and staff at Capitol News Illinois. If you have questions, comments, concerns or corrections, email editors@capitolnewsillinois.com.
What’s on the ballot in 2026?
One U.S. Senate seat and all of Illinois’ statewide offices will be on the ballot for the 2026 election. Every Illinois and U.S. House seat will be up for election as well, along with some Illinois Senate seats.
As for the races on every ballot, there’s governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer. But the only statewide office with a competitive primary on both the Republican and Democratic side is the race for U.S. Senate.
For more local races, you can use the state’s lookup tool to see who your elected officials are and use our search tool below to find your election jurisdiction for local information. Otherwise, click on the statewide office below to access our coverage of the race.
We’ll update this guide as the election season progresses and as the primaries conclude. U.S. Senate
When Dick Durbin announced in April he would retire after four decades in Washington, it set off a frenzy of candidates hoping to replace him in both parties.
On the Republican side, that includes R. Cary Capparelli, Casey Chlebek, Jeannie Evans, Pamela Denise Long, Jimmy Lee Tillman II and Don Tracy. They will meet for a debate in February, so check back for coverage.
On the Democratic side, the field includes U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Steve Botsford, Sean Brown, Awisi Bustos, Jonathan Dean, Bryan Maxwell, Kevin Ryan and Christopher Swann.
We submitted a questionnaire to all candidates and will report the results as we have them.
You can find our ongoing coverage of the race here. Governor
Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking a third term in office as the state’s chief executive and is unopposed on the Democratic side.
On the GOP side, the candidates are former state Sen. Darren Bailey, conservative researcher Ted Dabrowski, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick and gambling mogul Rick Heidner.
The crowded GOP field is one of two primary races — along with comptroller on the Democratic side — that we’ll focus on for one-on-one candidate interviews on our YouTube page, so check back for interviews with Pritzker’s prospective challengers.
Find our other coverage of the governor’s race here. Attorney General
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, the incumbent Democrat, is seeking a third term as Illinois’ chief law enforcement officer. Only one GOP challenger made it on the ballot: Bob Fioretti, a former Chicago aldermen who ran unsuccessfully for Cook County state’s attorney in 2024.
Our early focus has been competitive primaries, so we’ll pick up coverage of this race in the general election. Secretary of State
The secretary of state’s office has a long list of duties, from being the state librarian to overseeing driver’s license registration and security at the Capitol Complex. Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is seeking a second term after assuming the office from longtime Secretary of State Jesse White.
On the GOP side are Walter Adamczyk of Chicago, who previously ran as a write-in candidate for Chicago City Council in 2023, and Diane Harris, a Joliet Junior College trustee who has previously run unsuccessful races for Congress, state Senate and state House.
Find more coverage here as it becomes available. Comptroller
Democrat Susana Mendoza is retiring as the state’s chief financial officer after serving in the role since 2016, taking office in the middle of the state’s infamous two-year budget stalemate. The comptroller’s primary responsibility is ensuring the state’s bills are paid — a task that wasn’t always easy, but one that Mendoza has fine-tuned in recent years.
On the GOP side, Bryan Drew of southern Illinois is the only one on the ballot. The Democratic side includes state Reps. Margaret Croke and Stephanie Kifowit, along with state Sen. Karina Villa and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim. We interviewed the four Democratic candidates for our Capitol Cast election series.
View in new tabhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/VZiaNVXhpRs?si=TGliJSOS1Ju8ywqR
Find the videos on our YouTube page and find other coverage here. Treasurer
Finally, there’s the state’s chief investment officer. Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs won his first statewide race in 2014 by fewer than 10,000 votes against his Republican opponent. But no Republican filed to be on the ballot for the office in the primary.
Max Solomon, who most recently ran for governor in 2024 among other unsuccessful attempts for public office over the years, is running as a write-in candidate on the GOP side. That means his name won’t show up on the GOP ballot, but voters can write it down to log their vote.
Solomon needs 5,000 votes to win the GOP nomination. Otherwise, the Republican State Central Committee can appoint someone to be the party’s general election nominee, provided that candidate meets standard ballot access requirements, including receiving 5,000 signatures.
How to find your local election authority
In Illinois, elections are run by local election authorities, usually the county clerk, although some municipalities have their own local election boards. You can click here to find out if you are registered.
While this guide provides general guidance about the registration process, your local election authority is often the best place to get your more specific questions answered. The lookup table below was assembled by Capitol News Illinois staff to help you find your local authority’s information.
How to register to vote
In Illinois, you can register to vote in several ways: online and in person, and by mail.
Online: To register online, visit the state’s online voter application tool at ova.elections.il.gov. Online registration closes March 1 for the primary. It reopens from March 19 through Oct. 18 for the general election.
In person: To register in person, you must visit your local election authority or a facility that offers in-person registration. Most counties also offer alternate locations for voter registration, including secretary of state facilities, libraries and other government buildings. The standard in-person registration process runs through Feb. 17 for the primary and Oct. 6 for the general election.
Grace period: For those registering in person, a “grace period” process begins on Feb. 18 for the primary and Oct. 7 for the general election. If you are registering in person your local election authority after Feb. 18, you must vote at the same time you register.
Election Day: Illinois also offers same-day in-person registration on Election Day, allowing voters to register and vote at the same facility. You’ll just need to bring the necessary documentation.
By mail: You can also mail in a voter registration form to your local election authority. That mail must be postmarked by Feb. 17 for the 2026 primary and Oct. 6 for the general election. What documents do I need to register to vote?
To register online, you must provide all four of the following:
- Your Illinois driver’s license or state ID number
- The date the license or ID was issued
- The last four digits of your social security number
- Your birth date
To register in person or by mail, you must provide two forms of ID, one of which must show your current address. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Passport
- Military ID
- Driver’s license or state ID
- College, university, school or work ID
- Vehicle registration card
- Lease or mortgage
- Credit card
- Social Security card
- Medicare or Medicaid card
- Insurance card
- LINK card
- FOID card
- Official mail such as bills, school report cards, bank statements, pay stubs, utility or medical bills, or official mail from a government agency
If you register by mail, you can provide photo copies of identification documents. If you do not, you must vote in in person and provide documentation then. But contact your local authority before beginning this process.How do I register to vote if I’m in the military or if I’m overseas?
The Illinois State Board of Elections maintains a separate website at move.elections.il.gov to cater to military and overseas voters. To create an account in this system, you need to provide your Illinois driver’s license or state ID number and the last four digits of your Social Security number.What if I move before an election?
If you moved more than 30 days before the election, you will need to re-register at your new address. You can do that through the standard registration process.
If you moved less than 30 days before the election, you may vote at your previous address.
If you moved out of your county less than a month prior to the election, but still live in the state, you may update your registration using the “grace period” voting process or you may vote in your old polling place after completing an affidavit.Where do I register if I’m a student living at a college or university?
In Illinois, if you’re a student living at or near a college where you’re studying, you can register at your current address or your home address.
If you’re an out-of-state student, you may register in person or by mail in Illinois through the standard registration methods. Most universities and colleges have resources for students interested in voting, so check with your student affairs or other appropriate office to learn more.
Voting by mail
Voting by mail has become increasingly popular in Illinois in recent years, although county clerks are offering slightly different guidance for 2026.
If you plan to return your ballot by mail, new Postal Service rules will likely impact when your ballot is postmarked. To find specific deadlines, check your county clerk’s website or call the office. In general, clerks advise that you return your ballot by mail as soon as possible and no later than a week before Election Day.
Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, March 17, for the primary election and Nov. 3 for the general. Below, you can find more information on how to receive vote-by-mail ballots and how to return them.How do I get a vote-by-mail ballot?
Each election jurisdiction has its own vote-by-mail procedure. Most have an online or downloadable application form. You can also fill out a paper form in most places by visiting the election administrator’s office — usually the county clerk.
The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the primary election is March 12. The last day to do so for the general election is Oct. 29. If you haven’t requested a mail-in ballot by that day, you will have to vote in person.
Since 2022, election authorities in Illinois have maintained permanent vote-by-mail request lists. You can request to be added to this list through your local election authority.What do I do with a vote-by-mail ballot
Vote-by-mail ballots must be mailed after Feb. 5 for the primary election and Sept. 24 for the general. Ballots are sent with prepaid envelopes, and you can put them in any post office mailbox or hand deliver to your local election authority.
Many counties also offer drop boxes for mail-in ballots. You can find a list of drop box locations through the Illinois State Board of Elections. These are open until 7 p.m. on Election Day.Can I vote in person even if I received a mail-in ballot?
If you applied for a mail-in ballot but didn’t receive it, you may vote in person by filling out an affidavit when you vote. Just tell an election judge about your situation and they’ll walk you through the process.
If you did receive a mail-in ballot but would prefer to vote in person, bring the ballot with you and an election official will “cancel” or invalidate your mail ballot and you can vote as normal.
If you don’t have the ballot, you can still vote in person by casting a provisional ballot.
How to vote early
The state board of elections maintains a list of nearly all early voting locations and their hours. But for more specifics, you should contact your local election authority.
For the March 17 primary, early voting opens on Feb. 5. For the Nov. 3 general, early voting begins on Sept. 24. Most Illinoisans can vote at their local election authority’s office.
The rules are a little different in Chicago, where early voting begins on Feb. 12 at two downtown locations.
Voters in Cook County can start voting on Feb. 18 or March 2, depending on your location. Early voting will last until March 16. Visit the county clerk’s office for specific locations and times.How do I vote if I’m in a nursing home, homebound or in a hospital?
Federally operated facilities, licensed nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other state-licensed long-term care facilities are required to coordinate with local election authorities to offer on-site voting in the days leading up to Election Day.
Voters in health care facilities may also request a vote-by-mail ballot up to five days before the election, March 12 and October 29 for this year’s elections.
If you personally were admitted to a hospital or other health care facility within 14 days before the election, you may obtain an “Application for Ballot for Qualified Voter Admitted to Hospital, Nursing Home or Rehabilitation Center.” If you and your doctor fill out this form and return it to the relevant local election authority, a relative or registered voter may take it to the election office, obtain an absentee ballot, take it to you and return it on your behalf.
Voting on Election Day
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, March 17 and Nov. 3. If you’re in line by 7 p.m., you’re guaranteed the chance to vote on Election Day if you’re still in line when polls close. You can find your polling place in the state’s voter registration lookup tool.Where can I vote on Election Day?
On Election Day, where you vote depends on where you live. In some jurisdictions, all voting locations are open to all voters. In others, you can only vote at your assigned precinct or at a central “vote center.” The State Board of Elections maintains a lookup tool that will tell you the polling place for a given address.How can I register on Election Day?
You can register to vote on Election Day at a location set by your local election authority, but you must provide two forms of identification, one of which has your current address — the same requirements as regular registration.What is a provisional ballot?
If there is a question about your voter registration status, you may be given a provisional ballot. This is a ballot that you fill out as normal but is set aside and not counted until the question about your voting status has been resolved.
If you’re given a provisional ballot, you’ll have seven days to go to the office of your local election authority to resolve the issue, and an election judge should explain to you what steps you need to take to ensure your vote is counted.Do I need to show my ID to vote?
In Illinois, you usually don’t need to show an ID to vote, but there are a few cases where one might be necessary.
If your signature doesn’t appear to match voting records, you may be asked to prove your identity by showing a driver’s license or state ID. If you’re not carrying one, you can request a provisional ballot and be asked to provide identification on another day.
Another reason you might be asked to show your ID is if your voter registration status has been marked as “inactive.” This may happen for a variety of reasons, including if you haven’t voted in a recent election. You can often reactivate your registration status by showing a driver’s license or state ID with your current address.What is curbside voting?
If you have a permanent or temporary disability that prevents you from leaving a vehicle or entering a polling place, you may be able to request “curbside voting.” You must request this accommodation from your local election authority at least one day prior to voting.What should I do if I have issues voting?
If you’re turned away by an election judge or other poll worker or experience issues voting or registering, you should contact your local election authority. If you think something more serious has happened, there are a few other organizations to consider contacting.
The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition operates several hotlines for voters. Its English hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) is administered by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. It also has hotlines in Spanish, Arabic and several Asian languages.
If you think someone committed a crime like voter fraud or voter intimidation, you should file a complaint with the state’s attorney in the county where the crime occurred.
If you believe someone violated the state election code, you can also file a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections. ISBE complaints should be delivered in person or by mail to 69 W. Washington St., Suite LL08, Chicago, IL, 60602.
You can also send us an email detailing any issues at editors@capitolnewsillinois.com and we can try to get to the bottom of it.
What is Capitol News Illinois?
CNI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government news coverage to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations in and around Illinois.
We aim to provide credible and unbiased coverage of state government and public policy. You can learn more about our mission here, along with donor transparency and ethics policies.
***Courtesy of Capitol News Illinois***
