It's voting time, Chicago -- again. Election Day for the Chicago mayoral runoff race is officially here.
According to the Chicago Board of Elections, the early vote total for the Chicago mayoral and municipal runoff election currently stands at 292,591 ballots cast. Of those, 107,686 are mail-in ballots. On Monday alone, 30,044 ballots were cast.
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Chicago's 19th Ward, which includes Beverly, Morgan Park, Kennedy Park and Mt. Greenwood, currently has the highest early voter turn out so far, with 10,496 early ballots cast, data from the Board show.
Where to Vote, Latest Mayoral Polls, How Register and More: What to Know on Election Day in Chicago
But Chicago isn't the only city around here with an election today.
Dozens of suburbs and communities near Chicago are holding consolidated elections on April 4, with more than 40 communities voting on mayor, village trustees, school board candidates, referendums and more.
Local
But no matter where in the state you live or what's on your ballot, polls all open and close on the same schedule throughout the state. And, in Illinois, you can vote and register to vote on Election Day.
Here's an overview.
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What Time Do Polls Open and Close?
As with all elections in Illinois, polls will open at 6 a.m. on April 4, and will close at 7 p.m.
Note: If you're in line before 7 p.m., you'll still be able to vote.
Find Your Polling Place in Illinois
In Chicago, here's a full list of polling places by ward and precinct.
If you aren't sure which precinct or ward live in, you can find out here. You can also vote at the Loop Voting Supersite, located at 191 N. Clark St.
Additionally, all 51 early voting sites will be open on Election Day, and "voters can choose whatever voting site is most convenient for them, including on Election Day," the Board says.
For those outside of Chicago, click here.
I Want to Vote But Haven’t Registered. Can I Still Vote Tuesday?
Yes.
Illinois offers same-day voter registration, but those voters will be required to provide identification to register and to cast a ballot.
According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, valid forms of identification include a driver’s license or state ID, a utility bill, a government check, a paycheck, a lease or contract for residence, a bank statement, or any other form of government document that includes the voter’s name and address.
A student ID is also accepted, but must be accompanied by a piece of mail addressed to the residence at which the voter is seeking to register.
Do You Need Your Voter Card to Cast a Ballot?
Under Illinois law, you are not required to carry your voter card into the polling place. Doing so can help serve as a reminder of which precinct you vote in and what offices will be on your ballot, but they are not required.
Illinois also does not require photo ID to cast ballots, unless a voter is registering for same-day or grace-period registration, or is turning in a mail-in ballot and choosing to vote in-person instead.
Returning a Mail-In Ballot
Mail-in ballots must be post marked by Tuesday, April 4 in order to be counted in the runoff election, the CBOE says. However, ballots returned on Election Day will not be included in the Election Night total. More on that below.
Chicago ballots can be returned via any of the city's drop-boxes. A full list can be found here. In the suburbs, visit your county's website for the correct location to return your mail-in ballot.
If My Mail-In Ballot Arrives After Election Day, Will it Still Be Counted?
According to the CBOE, "all outstanding vote by mail ballots received on Election Day (through drop box and USPS) will not be counted by or reflected in the Election Night results." Instead, all ballots "properly postmarked by April 4th arriving through the mail will be processed and counted on a rolling basis through April 18th."
The Board adds that election results will continually be updated on a rolling basis as these ballots arrive.
According to Chicago election officials, 91,838 outstanding mail-in ballots have yet to arrive. "We do not expect all of these ballots to return back on time or properly postmarked."
Prior to the runoff, for the Feb. 28 Municipal Election, the CBOE says it had a 52% return rate for outstanding vote-by-mail ballots.
When Will Results Come In?
According to Election officials, results will start to come shortly after polls close at 7 p.m. on April 4.
