What is your Election 2020 vote plan?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voting options for the November 2020 election have been expanded in Illinois. Whether you exercise your right to vote by mail or in person, the resources below will provide you with the answers to your questions about this year’s election and help you plan to vote safely!
Are you registered to vote in Illinois?
First, make sure you are registered to vote at the correct address. You can check the status of your voter registration by going to the Illinois Online Voter Registration Application Website.
If you aren’t registered or forgot to update your voter registration since the last time you moved, you can register or update your registration here. The last day to register or update your registration online is October 18, 2020!
If you miss the online voter registration deadline, you may still register to vote during the Grace Period (Oct. 7, 2020 – Nov. 3, 2020) and on Election Day. Check with your local election authority for early voting and Election Day registration locations.
How would you like to vote in this year’s election?
Vote-by-Mail Ballot
If you have voted in any Illinois elections since the 2018 General Election or, if you registered to vote or change your voter registration between March 17, 2020 – July 31, 2020 you should automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot application by August 1, 2020.
If you have NOT voted in any Illinois elections since the 2018 General Election, you can apply for a vote-by-mail ballot through your local election authority’s website.
Applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be received up until October 29, 2020 online. A person can apply for a vote-by-mail ballot in person until November 2, 2020.
Complete your vote-by-mail application and send it back to receive your ballot. Vote-by-mail ballots must be completed and returned before or on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020 by delivering through United States Postal Service or returning to a secure drop box location.
Local election authorities might also offer drop boxes for vote-by-mail ballots, so you have a safe and secure location to return it. All available drop boxes can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections website here.
IF you decide that you no longer want to vote-by-mail and would rather vote in person, that is an option. Take your vote-by-mail ballot with you to the poll and surrender to the poll workers to receive a new ballot and vote in person. If you haven’t received your vote-by-mail ballot you can still vote in person, but you will need to sign an affidavit saying you haven’t received your ballot before you can vote. Whether or not you have your vote-by-mail ballot you should not vote using a provisional ballot.
Vote Early
Illinois voters can participate in early voting starting as early as September, 24, 2020 and ending the day before Election Day, November 3, 2020. Early voting hours will be: 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. weekends and holidays. Find out where you can vote early online here!
Early voting in Cook County will not start until October 7, 2020 with some sites opening on October 19, 2020. Cook County voters can find early voting hours and dates here.
Chicago voters can begin early voting on October 1, 2020 at the Voting Super Site downtown (191 N. Clark St). All 50 wards will have an early voting location starting October 14, 2020. Chicago voters can find their early voting location here.
Vote in Person
If you are unable to participate in mail-in voting or early voting, voting on Election Day still is an option. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. To find your polling place location, please click here.
Local election authorities can also offer curb-side voting on Election Day so you never have to leave your car to vote. To see if you will have that option available to you on Election Day, contact your local election authority. You can find their contact information online.
Additional Resources:
- 2020 Election Schedule and Registration Deadlines (PDF)
- Know Your Rights- Voting in Illinois- ACLU
- Poll workers v. poll watchers explained
- Options for voters who requested vote-by-mail ballots
- Social media resources
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.
You can also check our recent #MakeAPlanToVote Q&A video recording and presentation, where we answered questions from supporters about voting in 2020!
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