Believe it or not, Illinois' midterm election is just a week away.
This year's ballot includes several high-profile races, including Governor, Secretary of State, vacancies on the Illinois Supreme Court, along a handful of Senate seats in congressional districts.
As Election Day approaches on Nov. 8, here's a guide to voting in Illinois, how to research who's on your ballot, the races and measures to watch and more.
Top races, voting FAQ and more. Get everything you need before Election Day with our Voters Guide.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Check Your Voter Registration
No matter how you plan to vote, you'll want to see if your Illinois voter registration is up to date.
You can check to see if -- and to what address -- you are registered to vote in Illinois, by using the state's voter registration lookup tool, here.
If you do not have an Illinois driver's license, or you recently moved to a new address, you'll need to either update your registration, or sign an affidavit at your polling place.
In Illinois, in order to register to vote, residents must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be 18 years or older by Election Day
- Be a resident of the precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day
Deadlines to keep in mind:
- If you are not registered to vote, or you need to update your registration, the deadline to register online is Oct. 23
- You can also register to vote in-person, up until, and on, Nov. 8 -- Election Day.
- A list of where you can register to vote can be found here.
If you recently moved and need to change your voter registration, you may be able to do so online. In order to update your voter registration online, you'll need:
- An Illinois drivers license or state ID number
- The last 4 digits of your social security number
- The date your Illinois driver's license or state ID was issued
If you do not have those items, you'll need to update your registration in-person.
Voting by Mail
In Illinois, any registered voter can vote by mail. However, registered voters are not automatically sent a mail-in ballot unless the voter specifically requests one for an election. This request can be made online, by mail, or in-person.
Read More: A Step-By-Step Guide to Voting by Mail in Illinois For the 2022 Election
However, in order to request a mail-in ballot online, your voter registration must be accurate. If you need to update your voter registration, or the address on file is incorrect, you will not be able to request a mail-in ballot using the state's online system. Instead, you'll need to contact your county clerk.
"If we do not have your driver's license/state ID or your Social Security number on file, you will not be able to complete this application online unless you update your voter registration," the Cook County Clerk says.
Requesting a 'vote by mail' ballot online
Voters can request a mail-in ballot by first selecting their jurisdiction here. From there, voters will be taken to their county's website to complete the process. However, before your county sends you a mail ballot, they'll need to verify your information first.
"Once we verify your registration and process your application, we will send a paper ballot to the mailing address you designate in your application," Cook County says.
Requesting a 'vote by mail ballot' by mail
Voters can also download a vote by mail request and mail it to their county clerk, or request a mail-in ballot in person at their county clerk's office.
How to permanently request a 'vote by mail' ballot
In some counties, including Cook county, registered voters can opt to permanently vote by mail, which will ensure that a mail-in ballot is automatically sent to the voter ahead each election, rather than a voter having to request a mail-in ballot each time.
"Cook County is now offering Permanent Vote By Mail," the clerk's website says. "This option will allow you to vote by mail in all subsequent elections held in Cook County. You will still have the option to vote by mail in a single election if you so choose."
To see if a permanent vote by mail option is available in your jurisdiction, contact your local county clerk.
Deadlines to keep in mind:
- The deadline to request a mail-in ballot via the online system, or by mailing a request, is Nov. 3.
- The deadline to request a mail-in ballot in-person at your county clerk's office is Nov. 7.
Fill out your ballot and return it.
After you've exercised your civic duty, make sure to sign your ballot.
According to the Cook County clerk, "the signature on your ballot will be compared against the signature in your voter file before your ballot is counted."
According to the Illinois Board of Elections, there are several different ways to return your mail-in ballot.
- If you are mailing your ballot back, it must be post-marked by Nov. 8 and received by Nov. 22.
- If you are dropping off your ballot in-person to your county clerk's office or a drop box, it must be received by Nov. 8.
In Cook County, there are ballot drop boxes at all early voting locations. Check the map here, or visit your county clerk website to find a location near you.
The state of Illinois does not offer ballot tracking, so you will not be notified once your ballot is counted.
You can have someone else drop off your mail-in ballot for you at the county clerk's office. However, the state says, if another person drops your mail-in ballot off at your county clerk's office, they may be required have to sign an affidavit swearing that they're doing it on your behalf.
"Unless you require assistance, do not let anyone else mark your ballot; do not let anyone force or coerce you into voting for any candidate; and do not let anyone, other than a close relative or authorized messenger, mail, deliver or handle your voted ballot," the Cook County Clerk says.
If your ballot is rejected for any reason, you will be notified, the state says. And in some cases, voters may have the opportunity to cure a rejected ballot.
"The election authority is required to notify a voter within two days if a ballot has been rejected," the Illinois Board of Elections says. "If there is an issue with a signature, the voter will be given the opportunity to submit a statement that the ballot was completed and sent by the voter in order to have the ballot counted."
"If the ballot is damaged or arrives improperly sealed, the voter will be given options including voting in person or reissuing a mail ballot if time permits," the board continues.
"However, a damaged or unsealed ballot that arrives after Nov. 3 cannot be cured."
How to Vote Early
Early voting is now open at several locations across the Chicago area, with more to open later in October.
You can find all of the early voting locations across Chicago, suburban Cook County and 10 other counties in the area, as well as the dates and times they will be open, listed here.
With the exception of some locations in Will County, all residents of any of the counties listed can vote at any of that county's early voting locations, excluding Chicago voters at suburban Cook County polling places.
While a government-issued photo ID is not required to vote, it can be helpful to bring one should any questions about registration, address, signature, or more arise during the voting process.
How and Where to Vote on Election Day
If you prefer to cast your ballot on Election Day, in most counties in Illinois you have just one option: your designated polling place. If you don't know where that is, you can find it by entering your address here on the State Board of Elections website.
It's important to note that for many Chicago voters, polling locations have changed this election.
Thousands of Chicago voters are being urged to check where their polling places are after significant changes were made to the city’s precinct maps.
"What will be different in Chicago for the Nov. 8 primary is that the Chicago Board of Elections just got done redoing the redistricting process, so voters will be finding themselves within new ward lines," said Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever in an interview with NBC Chicago.
In addition to the new ward lines, Bever said many voters will also find themselves in an entirely new precinct.
Voters can visit the CBOE website for the latest information.
Now, if you already requested a mail-in ballot but would rather vote in-person on Election Day, you can do that too.
Voters are allowed to vote in person if they choose, but must fulfill one of several requirements to do so.
According to state officials, voters can hand their mail-in ballot over to election judges, or a portion of the ballot if they want to cancel their vote.
Voters can also choose to fill out and sign an affidavit stating that they did not receive their ballot in the mail, or they can fill out an affidavit saying that they did send in their ballot, but that the local election authority did not receive it.
Voters can find information on deadlines, early voting and any other election-related questions on the Illinois State Board of Elections’ website, or on your local county clerk's website.
See Who Will Be On Your Ballot
There are several important races happening in Illinois for the November election, so we've created a tool to help you learn who your representatives are - and who's running against them - before you vote.
To find out who you can vote for in many of the major races - including ones for governor, congress and in the state legislature - enter your address here.
For a complete sample ballot, including all local and judicial races, be sure to visit your local election authority's website. In Chicago, that's the Chicago Board of Elections. In Cook County outside of the city, and in the surrounding suburban counties, your local election authority is your county clerk's office.
Races to Watch
There are countless races up and down the ballot across Illinois with important and interesting narratives, some garnering national attention in another contentious and high-stakes election cycle.
Here's a look at some of the biggest races you should be watching in the Chicago area and across the state:
How to Research the Illinois Judges on Your Local Ballot
Many of the names on your ballot for the 2022 Illinois general election this year are judges, who are elected from specific districts or circuits -- not statewide. That means the judges you vote for will be different based on where you live.
Here's a breakdown of how to find out ratings for each of the judges running for a spot on the Illinois Supreme Court, along with ratings for judges running for retention or reelection in your local appellate or circuit courts.
