How To Register To Vote In Illinois (Complete Guide)

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Illinois voter registration is easier than you might think, and the state gives you several ways to get it done. Whether you prefer to register online, by mail, or in person, Illinois has a path that works for you. Here’s everything you need to know to get registered and ready to vote.

Who Can Register To Vote In Illinois?

Before you dive into the Illinois voter registration process, make sure you meet the basic eligibility requirements. You can register to vote in Illinois if you are 18 years or older on the next Election Day, have lived in your jurisdiction for 30 days before the election, and are a U.S. citizen. 

There’s one more important rule to know: you cannot register if you are serving a sentence of confinement for a criminal conviction, but you can vote if you have been charged but not convicted, have completed your sentence, or are on parole or probation. 

3 Ways To Complete Your Illinois Voter Registration

Register Online (Fastest Method)

The quickest way to handle your Illinois voter registration is online. To register to vote online, you must have an Illinois Driver’s License or State ID. Head to the Illinois State Board of Elections website, enter your license or ID information, and complete the process in just a few minutes.

The online registration deadline is 16 days before Election Day. Mark your calendar so you don’t miss the window.

Register By Mail

Prefer to handle your voter registration by mail? You can use Illinois’s mail-in registration form to register for local, state, and national elections for the first time or update your registration with a new name or address

Your mail-in registration must be postmarked 28 days before Election Day. Download the form from the Illinois State Board of Elections website, fill it out completely, sign it, and drop it in the mail well before that deadline.

Register In Person

Illinois also lets you walk in and register in person at multiple locations. You can register in person at your state or local election office, your state motor vehicles office, and at many government public assistance offices.

When you register in person, you must provide two forms of ID, and one of them needs to show your current address. 

Illinois Grace Period Registration (Same-Day Registration)

Missed the standard deadline? Don’t panic. Illinois offers a grace period that starts 27 days before Election Day and runs through Election Day itself. Grace period voting takes place at your local election office, not your regular polling place.

Illinois’s grace period registration (also called same-day registration) allows you to register and vote in person on the same day. You can also use it to update your voter registration information. This is a powerful safety net if you’re cutting it close before an election.

What To Expect After You Register

Once you complete your Illinois voter registration, you generally won’t need to show ID at the polls. In most cases, identification is not required to vote at the polls in Illinois as long as your registration is accurate and up to date. Your signature is verified against the one on file from when you registered.

One exception: if you register by mail, you must vote in person at your polling place or by in-person absentee voting the first time you cast a ballot, unless you are disabled, in the military, or provided sufficient identification during your registration. 

When To Update Your Illinois Voter Registration

Your registration doesn’t last forever without updates. You need to re-register or update your registration when you move, change your name, or wish to update your signature. The good news: there is no party registration in Illinois, so you do not need to re-register if you wish to change your choice of political parties.

Vote By Mail Option

Illinois makes it easy to skip the polling place entirely. Any registered voter in Illinois may apply to be added to a permanent vote-by-mail list. If your application is accepted, you will receive an official vote-by-mail ballot for all subsequent elections. 

Quick Illinois Voter Registration Deadlines Summary

• Online: 16 days before Election Day
• By Mail: Postmarked 28 days before Election Day
• In Person: Up to and including Election Day (grace period registration)

Getting your Illinois voter registration squared away is one of the most important steps you can take before any election. Don’t wait until the last minute. Register online today at the Illinois State Board of Elections website and make sure your voice gets counted.