Illinois primary election 2026: What to know before polls close
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"I Voted" stickers at the Chicago Board of Elections Loop Super Site in 2024. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynksi/AFT via Getty Images
It's Election Day in Illinois and polling places are open until 7pm Tuesday.
Why it matters: Several races could shape Illinois' political leadership for the next four years.
Not sure where you vote? 📍 Find your local polling place.
Zoom in: Gone are the days when Election Day was the be-all and end-all. Thanks to early voting and mail-in ballots, today is the final day of Illinois primary voting.
- This 2026 primary election has already seen a huge jump in early voting.
- As of Sunday, 160,844 ballots had been cast. That's up from nearly 100,000 ballots received two days before the 2022 midterm primary, according to election officials.
Reality check: Non-presidential primaries typically draw low turnout. In 2022, about 22% of Illinois registered voters cast a ballot in the primary.
How it works: In Illinois, voters must choose a Democratic, Republican or independent ballot. The independent ballot only includes referendums in jurisdictions where they appear.
What you need to bring: If you're voting in your precinct, you don't need to present any identification, but it's good to bring your ID in case an election judge challenges your right to vote.
- If you are not registered to vote, same-day registration is available today. Make sure to have two forms of ID if you're registering in person, changing your address or filing a name change.
- You can register at your local polling place or the voting supercenter downtown.
The intrigue: While state law allows mail-in ballots postmarked on or before today to count, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias implored that mail-in ballots be sent in last week to avoid hassle from new U.S. Postal Service rules on postmarking.
Yes, but: If you didn't mail your ballot in, you can still drop it off at any of 52 secure drop boxes at all early voting sites.
- You can also deliver your ballot directly to 69 W. Washington St., either at the first floor lobby drop box or in the sixth floor office.
- If you need to send it through the mail, it's best to go to the post office counter and request a manual postmark.
- Any ballot postmarked after today will not be accepted.
Of note: The Chicago Board of Elections will send an email when mail-in ballots are received and another when they're processed.
What's next: The polls close at 7pm.
Go deeper: Read our 2026 midterm primary voting guide