This article will give you some basic information about voting in Illinois. In order to vote, you must be registered. The information below will [no-lexicon]answer[/no-lexicon] some basic questions you may have about registering to vote and the voting process. 

Registering to vote

Your local election authority is in charge of voter registration. This could be your county clerk's office or board of election commissioners. Find your local election authority on the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Generally, you must register to vote at least 27 days before the next election. However, Illinois law allows in-person registration after this deadline up to and including the Election Day. During this grace period, you must register in person and cast your ballots upon registering.

In order to register to vote, you must:

• Be a US citizen,
• Be at least 18 years old by Election Day (Note: You can vote in the primary if you are 17 years old. You must turn 18 by the General Election Day), and
• Have been a resident of the precinct at least 30 days before Election Day.

You can register to vote in different ways:

• Register online through the ISBE website. If you have a driver's license, you may link the registration to your information in the driver's license database.
• Register by mail by completing an application. You must send the form to your election authority by the registration deadline. The election authority must verify your ID before the vote. Otherwise, you will need to vote in person the first time and present your ID.
• Register in person at the offices of your local election authority, precinct committee offices, and some schools or public libraries. You can also register at certain state agencies when applying for services, such as the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
• Effective January 1, 2024, you can pre-register to vote after your 16th birthday. You will be eligible to vote after you turn 18.

Early voting

Early voting allows voters to cast a ballot in person before election day. You do not need a reason or excuse to vote early.

Generally, early voting begins 40 days before election day and ends the day before election day. It takes place at the office of the local election authority. It also takes place at other designated locations. An election authority may establish permanent polling places for early voting. These locations may include:

• A municipal clerk's office
• A township clerk's office
• A road district clerk's office
• A county or local public agency office

There may also be temporary locations. Some locations may also provide curb-side voting options. Visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website or contact your local election authority for a list of locations.

If you use early voting, your vote will not be counted until election day. If you vote early, you cannot vote again on election day. This is true even if you change your mind about who you want to vote for.

Election day

Federal law states that a general election must be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. You need to be officially registered to vote at least 27 days before the next election. You may also register to vote when you apply for a new driver's license or change your address on your license. You can check if you are registered on the Voter Registration Look Up tool. 

Here are the voter information websites for different parts of Illinois:

• City of Chicago
• DuPage County
• Kane County
• Kendall County
• Lake County
• McHenry County
• Will County
• State Board of Elections

Polling places are open on Election Day from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.  If a voter is in line at 7:00 pm, the voter has a right to cast a vote. Find your local polling place with this ZIP Code lookup tool.

Employees are allowed to take 2 hours off from work to vote at the polls. You must tell your employer before Election Day that you want this time off. General election day is an official state holiday. Schools must observe election day. Most students, government workers, and teachers will get the day off to vote.Students are allowed to be absent from school for 2 hours to vote in an election. This can be anytime 15 days before an election. You can also vote by mail.