Some states shifted gradually into their vote-by-mail systems, with major investments put toward training, equipment, standardized envelopes and tracking mechanisms to ensure that all goes smoothly. To register to vote in Illinois, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of an Illinois precinct for at least 30 days prior to election day, and at least 18 years old by election day. County election officials have been scrambling to find new polling sites, and they’re coming up with creative solutions. The Postal Service doesn’t test employees or check their temperatures, and its contact tracing is erratic. You can’t republish our material wholesale, or automatically; you need to select stories to be republished individually. Online registration closes 16 days prior to an election. Only Illinois residents may participate in Illinois elections. If you share republished stories on social media, we’d appreciate being tagged in your posts. A 17-year-old may vote in a primary if he or she will be 18 years old at the subsequent general election. All Rights Reserved. With the Illinois Voter Guide, you can: Explore your ballot! In fact, we’re already seeing delays in mail delivery in light of a few factors: the nearly 10,000 postal workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 (according to the official USPS count); new cost-cutting measures including the elimination of late or extra delivery trips from processing and distribution centers; and the recent removal of hundreds of letter processing machines from postal facilities. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan. Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms we hold as Americans. Even as many states have expanded the ability to vote by mail, a lot of people prefer to do the job in person. For our Illinois residents, here is the breakdown for you: Terms of use Your local election official’s website has more details about the rules in your area. That will be handled differently depending on where you live because of our patchwork voting system. Why Do Nonwhite Georgia Voters Have to Wait in Line for Hours? Students attending college may register at their campus address or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address. In all states, however, voting by mail involves a ballot return deadline. In Illinois, the deadline to register online is Oct. 18 (the mail-in deadline passed this week). If you want to bypass the mail process entirely, your county may have ballot drop-off boxes — a secure, time-tested way to return your ballot. Sometimes, election officials clean up their voter rolls to remove inactive voters and those who may have died or moved. Illinois Election Office: State Board of Elections (Get voter registration & information. Or expanded access to voting by mail and casting a ballot in person. For more information about canonical metadata, You can’t edit our material, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell our material separately or syndicate it. An absentee ballot application can be submitted in person or by mail. Take your time, go through the information, and save your choices, as you create your own personalized voting … 1444 Boul Avenue In Illinois state, citizens must register with the Secretary of State to vote in local, state, and federal elections. (But from behind a mask, 6 feet away from others, if you’re out in these streets! sign up for ProPublica’s User’s Guide to Democracy, verify your voter registration in seconds, homes in Chicago’s 13th Ward that were used as polling sites, the arenas and stadiums that will be used as voting centers across the country. You do not need any ID to vote early or on Election Day in Illinois. Unless you’re a first-time voter. Illinois 2020 Voting Information November 3, 2020 marks the 59th quadrennial presidential election. We have a newsletter, ProPublica’s User’s Guide to Democracy, written by Cynthia Gordy Giwa that aims to answer them. the nearly 10,000 postal workers who have tested positive for COVID-19, a secure, time-tested way to return your ballot, more information on the Board of Elections website, tell us about voting problems in your area, ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts, What the Post Office Needs to Survive a Pandemic Election, How Voter-Fraud Hysteria and Partisan Bickering Ate American Election Oversight. Find voter information for Illinois, including details about deadlines, registration, mail-in voting, and poll locations. . Voting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Make informed choices. Election offices are slammed in the weeks before Election Day. We figure you get plenty of news about that already — some of it even from ProPublica. The deadline to register online is: October 18, The deadline to register by mail is: October 6, The deadline to register in-person is: November 3. If you vote by mail, you’ll want to send in or drop off your ballot earlier than you normally would. The 2020 election is underway, and if you’re like us, you’ve got questions. Make a plan. But it’s not in the worst shape either. Questions you may have regarding election day, like when is my deadline to register, am I already registered, where do I vote or what are my voting options, can feel overwhelming. You may only be registered and vote in one location. Primary Election Registration Deadline: February 18 by mail or March 1 online, General Election Registration Deadline: October 6 by mail or October 18 online, More election information at www.elections.il.gov/InfoForVoters.aspx, Online voter registration available at ova.elections.il.gov/. Regardless of your beliefs or which candidate you choose to support, it is important to exercise this earned right. In the byline, we prefer “Author Name, ProPublica.” At the top of the text of your story, include a line that reads: “This story was originally published by ProPublica.” You must link the word “ProPublica” to the original URL of the story. Absentee ballots must either be returned in person by the close of the polls on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than 14 days after Election Day. Take a moment now to check your status. In Illinois, all eligible voters have the option to vote by mail. Many people of color, particularly African Americans, are wary about voting any way other than an in-person system that allows them to see their ballot physically being cast. First, I want you to breathe. Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are able to register on Election Day. Most people vote at places like private businesses, schools or community centers — in 2018, Mick Dumke wrote about homes in Chicago’s 13th Ward that were used as polling sites — that are not required to be polling places. Sign up to get weekly updates about our work. Postal Service recommends that voters mail their ballot at least one week before the due date to allow for disruptions like severe weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Their Numbers Have Soared, and Their Polling Places Have Dwindled. Contact your local election authority to learn which polling places have been designated for early voting in your county or check online at: https://www.elections.il.gov/VotingAndRegistrationSystems/EarlyVotingLocationsSearch.aspx?MID=A3RIOjKplz4%3d. ... For more information, contact the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles. Privacy Policy ), COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed how people vote. (We recommend sending it as soon as possible.). Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. But if you put it off until Nov. 3, then you’ll have no choice but to wait it out. Who Decides When Vaccine Studies Are Done? Take your time, go through the information, and save your choices, as you create your own personalized voting … Campus Vote Project is a project of Fair Elections Center, (202) 331-0114            info@campusvoteproject.org, © 2019 Site designed by Cromwell & Company, Registration Deadlines and Election Dates, Grace period registration is available in-person at specific locations after the registration deadline and at some polling places on Election Day. A poll worker? District maps. We have official accounts for ProPublica and ProPublica Illinois on both Twitter (. Regardless of your beliefs or which candidate you choose to support, it is important to exercise this earned right. Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. Election FAQ.) Swansea Government Center - No longer taking registrations for the November 8, 2016 election. With the Illinois Voter Guide, you can: Explore your ballot! It may not be where you voted last time. We put together this helpful list of important dates and verified sources to make sure you have everything you need to make your voice heard and VOTE! Illinois is considered a no-document-required-to-vote state, which means you don’t have to show any ID. Polling Places and Sample Ballots. You have to credit us. Voter Registration Deadline: 28 days before Election Day for registration by mail; 16 days before Election Day for online registration. In 2016, nearly 4,000 voters reported problems they experienced or saw to Electionland, from names incorrectly missing from the voter rolls to shady information shared online. Learn the rules for voting by mail at your secretary of state’s website, and contact your local election office to learn about drop-off options for your absentee ballot. Look up your voting site and hours at: https://ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup.aspx. Some voters may require an interpreter to help them with their ballot. In addition, other voters in your county might not be able to take advantage of early voting options and will have to wait until Election Day, so voting early helps them cast their ballot safely — and eases the Election Day crush on our poll workers. You can’t state or imply that donations to your organization support ProPublica’s work. (For example, “yesterday” can be changed to “last week,” and “Portland, Ore.” to “Portland” or “here.”), You cannot republish our photographs or illustrations without specific permission. You can register in person through Election Day (that’s Nov. 3 for those of you keeping track). With the help of ProPublica reporters, Cynthia focuses on your representatives in Congress (and what it is they do), the candidates who want to represent you in Congress, political campaigns, money in politics and the sometimes-convoluted business of voting. Your polling place may be different, and you may have to follow safety protocols. Any registered Illinois voter can vote absentee without an excuse. Early Voting locations effective September 24, 2020 (Updated 9/10) Sample Ballots and Election Day Polling Place Locator; Election Day Polling Place Addresses "Publication Ballot" (Sample ballot that contains ALL …