How to Register to Vote in Illinois

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(Read this article in Spanish/Lee el artículo en español aquí)

Are you registered to vote in Illinois?

If you're not sure, you can check here by entering your name, address and birth date.

To register to vote in Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old by the date of the general election on Nov. 8, and not serving a sentence in a penal institution because of a criminal conviction.

If you're not registered yet, it's not too late!

If you missed the June 12 deadline to register online, you can still take advantage of grace period registration in person at any early voting location in your jurisdiction through June 27, or at your polling place on Election Day.

To do so, you have to bring two forms of identification, one with your current address (like a utility bill), and be prepared to cast your ballot at the same time. If you've moved since the last time you voted, you can also use grace period registration to update your registration to your current address.

A full list of locations where you can take advantage of grace period registration can be found here.

How to vote by mail in Illinois

Anyone registered to vote in Illinois is eligible to vote by mail, no excuse needed.

Voters have until June 23 to request a mail ballot, though election officials advise you apply as early as possible to allow enough time for the ballot to arrive and be returned. To be counted, your mail ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within 14 days after.

You can find more information about voting by mail on the Illinois State Board of Elections website here or through your local election authority, which is where you can find an application to request a mail-in ballot.

If you requested to vote by mail and want to hand deliver your ballot, bypassing the U.S. Postal Service, you can do so in person at your election authority's office or designated drop box locations.

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