How to vote in Chicago in the 2026 midterm election
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Chicagoans can officially start casting ballots in the 2026 midterm election.
Why it matters: You don't have to wait until Election Day on Nov. 3, but deadlines for registering, voting by mail and finding an early voting site are approaching.
🗳️ Vote now: Two downtown early voting locations are open — the Supersite at 137 S. State St. and the Board of Elections office at 69 W. Washington St. Early voting expands to all 50 wards Oct. 19.
📬 Vote by mail: You have until Oct. 29 to request a ballot, but election officials are urging voters to request and return ballots early amid concerns about postal delays and changes to USPS postmark procedures.
- In Illinois, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by Nov. 17.
✍️ Register: Online registration ends Oct. 18, but Illinois allows same-day registration and voting through Election Day.
🏫 Vote on Election Day: Polls are open from 6am to 7pm Nov. 3.
What we're watching: Election officials are preparing for the possibility of federal immigration enforcement activity around polling places.
What they're saying: In a recent press conference, Chicago Board of Election Commissioners chair Marisel Hernandez addressed those concerns, saying there are laws protecting voters from "intimidation, threats and coercion."
- "There are federal and state laws that prohibit armed troops and personnel from entering a polling place," Hernandez said.
State of play: Hernandez said the board has been meeting with federal and local law enforcement for roughly a year and has contingency plans.
- She also said officials could close a polling place and redirect voters elsewhere if circumstances required it.
- "We are also very prepared to go to court if necessary to enforce federal and state laws," she said.
- The election board has retained an outside law firm so it can get into court quickly if issues arise.
By the numbers: Hernandez said at least one field investigator will be stationed at each early voting site during early voting. Then on Election Day, the operation expands: 212 additional field investigators and 50 ward supervisors will patrol, with 200 auxiliary field investigators on standby.
The bottom line: "We're determined to reassure the voters that everything proceeds as normal," Hernandez said.