Voter Resources: Casting a Ballot in Illinois

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

• Absentee ballots must be requested between 90 and 5 days before a specific election if requesting by mail or online.
• Ballots are mailed out by election authorities no earlier than 40 days before an election.  For consolidated elections, the date may be after 25 days before the election.
• Ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.  Ballots received after election day during the provisional ballot counting period may be counted during that period.

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

• “The MOVE site will enable you to set up a MOVE account to register to vote and request vote by mail ballots for upcoming Federal Elections. This site was designed to help ease the burden of members of the Uniformed Services (and their eligible dependents) and overseas voters in requesting a voter registration and a vote by mail ballot application. This site will give you the ability to keep in contact with your local election official and to track the status of your application and ballot.”
• More information for UOCAVA voters (link).
• Overseas Vote Foundation (link).

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

All voters are eligible to request an absentee ballot in Illinois.

• Vote.org's IL Absentee Voter Ballot Request tool (link).

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator (link) or the Illinois locator (link) to find your polling place.
• For a general election or primary, polls in Illinois are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Check with the Local Election Authority regarding voting hours for municipal elections.
• Time off to vote: Employers in Illinois must give an employee up to two hours' time off in order to vote, unless the polls are open two hours before or after the employee's shift.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Democratic Party (link)
  • Republican Party (link)

Help for voters with disabilities 

Equip for Equality (https://www.equipforequality.org/issues/voting/) operates the Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA) program in Illinois.

Equip for Equality Main/Chicago Office:
20 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-341-0022 | 800-537-2632 (Voice) | 800-610-2779 (TTY)

Curbside voting is available if you cannot enter your polling place.  You may request a ballot be brought to you at an accessible point within 50 feet of the entrance of the polling place.

Ballots

Sample ballots are available from your local election authority (link).