Your options for voting are:
Jump ahead to voter registration at the Illinois Online Voter Application website.
Learn who can register to vote in this video from the Illinois State Board of Elections.
If you need voting information in languages other than English, go to the Vote.gov website and use the Select Language button at the top. Sí necesita información en otra idioma, visite el site vote gov y clic el link "select language" en la cabeza de página.
In the next box, you will learn more about registering to vote and how to plan ahead.
Use the Registration Lookup tool at the voter application website. You will need to enter your name, birthday, zip code, and street address.
If your card was lost, damaged, or stolen contact your state election office to get a replacement. The Illinois State Board of Elections has offices in Springfield and Chicago. The telephone numbers and office hours for both locations are listed on the Board's website.
There are several different ways you can register to vote.
You need an Illinois driver's license or Illinois state identification card. If you don't have one of those, you can also register in person using other forms of identification. Learn more about identification options at the Cook County Clerk's Office website.
You can change it online through the online registration form at the State Board of Elections website. You can also download, print, and mail the National Voter Registration form.
Illinois residents can still register during the grace period. This must be done in person. Find out where to go for grace period registration and see instructions at the State Board of Elections website.
If you recently moved to Illinois and missed the registration deadline, you can still vote by mail or in person in your old state for the presidential election.
Election day is November 5. Find out where to go at the polling place lookup tool. You do not need to show identification at the polls, but it is a good idea to carry it with you.
Early voting opens September 26. Use the Illinois State Board of Elections online guide on how to vote early. Any registered voter in Illinois can vote early.
The Illinois State Board of Elections has a webpage about polling place accessibility and how to get assistance.
Register at the State Board's website. When you complete your ballot, find your vote by mail drop box location using the State Board's online tool.
Illinois also has a permanent vote by mail system. You can choose this option when you request a mail-in ballot. You can exchange a mail in ballot for a regular ballot at your polling place if you decide to vote in person later.
Military voters or United States citizens living abroad can request an absentee ballot.
The American Civil Liberties Union compiled this helpful guide to your voting rights. It includes information for disabled voters, what to do if someone tries to interfere with your vote, and how to get language assistance at the polls if you are not fluent in English.
Trans people can face significant obstacles to voting. The ACLU released an additional guide to help you vote successfully.
Once you have registered to vote, make a plan to vote, either in-person or by mail.
You can find information on voting sites, hours, and options for early voting on your local election authority's website.