How to vote in the March 19 Illinois presidential primary
Here’s a guide to casting your ballot — whether you’re looking to register to vote, vote by mail or vote in person.
How to vote in the March 19 Illinois presidential primary
Here’s a guide to casting your ballot — whether you’re looking to register to vote, vote by mail or vote in person.
By Tony ArnoldThe Illinois primary is March 19, but early voting has already begun and mail-in ballots are being sent out to those who requested one. Voters will get to pick which party’s ballot they want, then select their choice for president and congressman.
In Cook County, primary voters are selecting their next state’s attorney candidate after Kim Foxx decided not to seek a third term. And Chicago residents can decide the fate of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal for a graduated tax rate on the transfers of real estate – with the money gained from it being designated to benefit people who are homeless.
Here’s everything you need to know about how you can vote:
How can I register to vote?
You can register to vote online or even at your election place on Election Day. If you register to vote in-person when you go to cast your ballot, you must bring two forms of ID (such as your passport, driver’s license, lease or mortgage) with at least one of them listing your current address.
How can I vote by mail?
It is now too late to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot. If you have a mail-in ballot, your ballot must be postmarked or placed in a dropbox by March 19, 2024 in order for it to count.
When and where can I vote in person early?
Early voting sites are now open in Chicago’s wards, suburbs and collar counties. In-person early voting is open in Illinois through March 18.
City of Chicago: Residents can vote at the supersite location at 191 N. Clark St. downtown or at 69 W. Washington St., 6th floor or at the early voting locations in each of the city’s 50 wards.
Suburban Cook County: Residents can vote in downtown Chicago at the pedway of 69 W. Washington or at the early voting locations throughout the suburbs.
For the collar counties, see more details about early voting at the following websites:
Where can I vote on election day?
Chicago voters can cast their ballot at the voting supersite at 191 N. Clark St., at their early voting location or you can look up your local polling place here:
- City of Chicago
- Suburban Cook County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Kendall County
- Lake County
- McHenry County
- Will County
I just moved. Where do I vote?
If you moved 30 days before Election Day, vote at the polling location for your new address. If you moved less than 30 days before Election Day, vote at the location for your old address.
I requested a mail-in ballot but now I want to vote in person. Can I do that?
Yes, but you must bring the ballot you received in the mail with you to your polling place and surrender it in order to cast an in-person ballot instead.
Can I bring notes with me into the voting booth?
Yes. Notes, sample ballots and endorsements are all allowed to be brought with you into a polling booth.
Can I bring my young child with me to vote?
Yes, you are allowed to bring your children with you into the voting booth.
I’ve heard that you can’t post a photo of a completed ballot on social media. Is that true?
Correct. Illinois prohibits “ballot selfies.” That said, there’s no law stopping you from taking a picture with that “I voted” sticker.
Are ballots in other languages available?
Chicago and Cook County polling locations have voting machines that offer audio ballots in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (audio in Mandarin dialect), Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian and Urdu.
Can someone else help me fill out my ballot?
Anyone who is blind, physically disabled, or unable to read or write can select an election judge, friend, family member or another voter to help them complete their ballot. That person can’t be a representative of your employer or union, however. The person helping you is not allowed to influence your vote and cannot fill out your ballot without your expressed intent.
When will my vote be counted?
Ballots are tabulated in Illinois after polls close on Election Day.
This story is part of the The Democracy Solutions Project, a partnership among WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times and the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government. Together, we’re examining critical issues facing our democracy in the run-up to the 2024 elections.