How to vote · 2026

Illinois

Any voter can request a mail ballot

Registration, mail-ballot, and early-voting dates, with source notes and official election-office links. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Deadlines move. Courts and legislatures were still changing 2026 rules as this page was compiled (last reviewed September 1, 2026). Confirm anything that affects your vote with the Illinois election office ↗.

Dates and rules

Registration, mail ballots, and early voting

Registration deadlineOctober 18, 2026Mail registration postmarked by Oct. 6; online by Oct. 18, 2026. Grace-period/same-day registration in person continues from Sept. 24 through Election Day at designated locations.

Mail-ballot request deadlineOctober 29, 2026

Mail ballots first sentSeptember 24, 2026Election authorities begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots Sept. 24, 2026 (40 days before; 10 ILCS 5/19-4). Mail applications must be received by Oct. 29 (5 days out); in-person requests through Nov. 2.

Return rulePostmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days (by Nov. 17, 2026)

Early in-person votingSeptember 24, 2026Through November 2, 2026 · Early voting at permanent locations begins Sept. 24, 2026 (40 days before) and runs through Nov. 2; additional sites open later. Varies by election authority.

Official IL election site ↗Automated verification has not confirmed every listed date. Check the official election office for current deadlines and eligibility rules.Sources: [1] Illinois State Board of Elections vote-by-mail page; first mailing date Sept. 24, 2026 (confirmed by county clerks, e.g. Madison County announcement)[2] USA.gov directory of official state election offices [3] Mail voting Sept. 24-Nov. 17, 2026 [4] CEIR 2026 voter registration deadlines (June 25, 2026 dataset; per-mode deadlines and same-day registration windows)[5] NCSL Table 5: statutory absentee ballot application deadline [6] NCSL Table 11 (updated Dec. 2025): ballot receipt/postmark deadline

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The full table of mail-ballot send dates, registration deadlines, and early-voting windows for all fifty states and DC, plus the documented record of government actions on mail voting this cycle.

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