One of the most significant privileges afforded to Americans is the right to vote, and 2026 promises to be a big and important election year. From the U.S. Congress to the Illinois statehouse, many key elections will be held in Illinois next year. A U.S. Senate seat, held by Senator Dick Durbin for three decades, will be an open contest and many U.S. House of Representative elections will be without an incumbent as well as other long-time Illinois congressional members have to decide to retire.
We want everyone to exercise their right. Whether you choose to vote in person or by mail, the information below will help you get answers to your questions and exercise you’re right to vote
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Are you ready to make a difference in your community by helping our neighbors, friends, and family get educated and prepared to vote? Check out the volunteer opportunities, and let’s get ready to vote together!
Are you registered to vote in Illinois?
Check to see whether you’re registered or your voter registration is up-to-date here.
If you are not registered or need to update your voter registration, such as a change of address, you can do that online here.
Voter Registration Deadlines
By Mail: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (postmarked)
In Person: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Online: Sunday, October 18, 2026
Illinois offers same-day voter registration, meaning you can register to vote when you show up to vote at certain polling locations. Two forms of identification are required, with at least one showing your current address, to register to vote.
The dates for the 2026 Election are:
General Election- November 3rd 2026
Your options to vote in Illinois are:
- Vote in person on Election Day – find your polling place here
- Vote by mail – request your ballot here
- Early voting – find your nearest early voting site
How voting by mail works in Illinois
Voting by mail is a convenient and safe way to vote. In Illinois, you can vote by mail for any reason. Follow the directions below closely to make sure your vote is counted in Illinois.
Vote-by-mail deadline:
Stay tuned for more details on vote-by-mail dates and deadlines.
Request your ballot
You can select your local election authority to request your vote-by-mail ballot. Some election authorities will require you to download an application and return it to their office either by mail or in person. Others allow for voters to fill out a vote-by-mail application online. To contact your local election authority, search here.
Also, you can sign up for the permanent vote-by-mail list so you don’t have to request a ballot for future elections.
Complete and return your ballot before the deadline (Return your ballot as soon as you’re ready, don’t wait until the last minute)
There’s multiple ways to return your ballot. You can do that in person at your local elections office or to a designated drop box on or before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Or return your ballot via the United States Postal Service. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day. On Election Day, you can also deliver the ballot to the post office prior to the final specified collection hour.
While ballots can be accepted with a postmark by election day, voters should expect a delay in the time it takes for USPS to postmark mail after they drop it off at the post office, due to recent internal changes in USPS’s postmarking procedures.
Where to sign your ballot?
Remember to sign the back of the ballot. Sign the certification envelope’s affidavit once you’ve finished filling out your ballot. Make sure the signature you use matches the one the election authority has on file from your voter registration (use the version of your name on the envelope you received).
What are ID requirements to vote by mail?
If you are registered to vote, ID is not needed to vote by any voting method in Illinois, including voting by mail, but the signature on the ballot must match the one on the voter registration form.
Can someone else return your vote-by-mail ballot for you?
Any authorized individual may deliver a ballot on your behalf. The affidavit on the ballot envelope, which verifies that permission was granted to that person return the ballot, needs to be signed by you.
Haven’t used or received your vote-by-mail ballot?
You can cast your vote in person at your polling location or at an early voting location even if you have a vote-by-mail ballot that you are not planning to use or never received your vote-by-mail ballot. If you still have your vote-by-mail ballot, it must be turned in to an election judge at the polling location when you vote in-person. Alternatively, if you don’t have the vote-by-mail ballot you requested, you can fill out an affidavit stating that you never received one or if you received one but forgot to return it to the election authorities. After filling out the affidavit, you can cast a vote on what’s called a provisional ballot.
Opportunities to fix challenges to your ballot
Illinois voters have the opportunity to resolve ballot challenges due to errors or mistakes. If you mistakenly marked your ballot or get challenged for signatures not matching, you can do what’s called “curing” your ballot and responding to a challenge within 14 days after Election Day. If there is a challenge to your ballot, you will be contacted by your local election office and given the opportunity to correct your ballot.
Early Voting in Illinois
Early voting dates
First day of early voting – September 24th, 2026
Last day of early voting- November 2nd, 2026
Vote Centers
All election authority are required to have at least one voter center, where voters can vote, regardless of where they live within that election authority, up to and on Election Day. Contact your local election authority to find your local vote center(s).
Important Election Dates
The General Election is on November 3, 2026
Questions?
Email us at info@changeil.org if you have any questions.
Or
Call the voter protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE if you need help.
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Voting icons used under Creative Commons license from The Noun Project.
voting booth by Luis Prado (CC BY 3.0); vote by mail and vote badge by Koson Rattanaphan (CC BY 3.0).