How to Vote

Tuesday, March 19 is primary election day for the state of Illinois. Key offices including the President of the United States, state representatives, and senators will be on the ballot. Here we break everything you need to know on how to cast your ballot.

Who can vote

To be eligible to vote in Chicago, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, an individual must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be eighteen years old by November 5, 2024
  • Be born on or before November 5, 2006
• Not be registered to vote elsewhere 
• Not be in prison or jail serving time for a conviction
  • The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners notes that “Ex-convicts who have been released from prison/jail and who meet all other requirements listed above are eligible to register and vote in Illinois. Ex-convicts who have been released and are on parole/probation ARE eligible to register and vote in Illinois.”
    

Registering to vote/Changing name or address

There are several options for registering to vote or changing voter information. To first check if you’re already registered, visit the Board of Elections Voter Registration Lookup portal at bit.ly/IL-voter-lookup.

To register online a citizen must have an Illinois driver’s license or State ID and then go to the Illinois State Board of Elections Online Voter Application website, ova.elections.il.gov. The registration period for the primaries closed on March 3 at 11:59pm and reopens afterwards for the general election on March 21.

To register at in person early voting locations an individual must present two forms of identification, with at least one listing a person’s current address. The city’s fifty-one early voting sites are listed on the Chicago Board of Elections website (chicagoelections.gov) and the Supersite is listed below.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Passport or Military ID
• Driver’s license or state ID card
• College/university/school/work ID
• Vehicle registration card
• Lease, mortgage or deed to home
• Credit or debit card
• Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid card
• Insurance card
• Civic, union, or professional membership card
• LINK/Public Aid/Department of Human Services card
• Illinois FOID card

Also the following mailed items can be used as ID and to confirm one’s address:

• Bill, transcript, or report card from school
• Bank statement, pay stub, or pension statement
• Utility, medical, or insurance bill
• Official mail from any government agency

To register on Election Day an individual must present two forms of identification, with at least one listing a person’s current address. To find your precinct polling place go to the Board of Elections voter information portal (bit.ly/Chi-voter-info).

An individual may also register to vote at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office if also obtaining a new driver’s license or state ID during that visit.

To register to vote by mail, use complete the downloadable form available at chicagoelections.gov/voting and deliver or mail it in to 69 W. Washington St., 6th floor, Chicago, IL, 60602.

Mail-in ballot

Voting by mail is available for the primary election and is available from Wednesday, Dec. 20 2023 at 9:00 am to Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 5pm. According to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, voters seeking to vote by mail must submit an online form available at bit.ly/Chi-mail-votes no later than five days before the election.

After completing the form, a printable ballot will be produced, including the address on where to mail the completed document. All mail-in ballots must be postmarked by election day to be counted.

Early voting

Early voting for the city is separated into two main types of locations: the downtown Chicago Supersite/Board Office and fifty local ward polling locations.

The Supersite and Board of Elections Office are open from February 15 through March 18. The Supersite is located at 191 N. Clark and Board Offices are located at 69 W. Washington, 6th floor. The downtown site operates during the following hours:

February 15 – March 10

• Weekdays: 9am–6pm
• Saturday: 9am–5pm
• Sunday: 10am–4pm

March 11 – March 18

• Weekdays: 9am–7pm
• Saturday: 9am–5pm
• Sunday: 10am–4pm
  

Early voting in all fifty wards begins on Monday, March 4 at 9am and operates through Election Day, March 19. Any registered voter in Chicago can vote at an early voting site across the city, no matter what ward they reside in. A full list of sites is available at: bit.ly/Chi-early-vote.

A government ID is not required, but the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners states an “ID is helpful if there is a question about the voter’s registration, address, signature, or if there are two voters at the same address with the same names or similar names.”

Election day

All early voting sites and the Supersite will be open from 6am to 7pm on primary Election Day. A voter can vote here or at their assigned polling place on March 19. To find your assigned voting location, visit bit.ly/Chi-voter-info.

No government IDs are required for registered voters, though the Board of Elections site states that one form of ID would be required if an election judge challenges a voter’s status, and two forms of ID for filing a name change or address change, or registering to vote in person.

Michael Liptrot is a staff writer at  South Side Weekly and the Hyde Park Herald.