Election Day 2020 - Tuesday, November 3

Deadlines | How to Register | Absentee/Mail-In Voting | Other Resources

Voter Registration Deadlines

For the most part, voter registration deadlines are early-to-mid-October across the United States, especially when a mail-in/absentee ballot is required. In Illinois,same-day registration is permitted when voting takes place on site.

How to Register

Thirty-nine states, including Illinois, allow online voter registration. Acceptable forms of identification can vary by state. Make sure to ONLY enter information on a site that includes .gov.

Click HERE for registration and voter information for all 50 states.

Illinois In-Person Voting

Voters in the state of Illinois do not need a form of identification to vote unless they are registering and voting during the 27-day grace period before Election Day. Same-day registration is permitted at voting sites. Click HERE to locate your polling place.

Absentee/Mail-In Voting

In order to participate in absentee/mail-in voting, you must complete the following steps:

• Be a registered voter
  • Illinois voters should be registered by October 6 to participate in absentee process
• Apply for a mail-in/absentee ballot
  • Illinois voters should request their ballot by October 29
• Receive ballot via mail and complete it, carefully following return instructions
• Deadlines will vary state by state
  • Illinois voters must have their ballots postmarked by November 3 and received by November 17.

Note
There is often confusion about the different meanings of absentee ballots versus mail-in ballots. The simple answer is verbiage and precise definitions vary by state. In Illinois, voters wishing to cast their ballots by mail can start with the Voting by Mail Application found HERE. Absentee voting can also take place in person, weeks before the election, also known as early voting. Find early voting options for Illinois HERE.