ILLINOIS, USA — The Iowa caucuses have already come and gone, and now voters on the other side of the river are preparing to cast their ballots in Illinois. Republicans and Democrats from around the state are running in the Illinois primary election, where voters will decide who they want to represent them in the November general election. News 8 compiled everything you'll need to know in order to make your voice heard on election day:
When is the Illinois primary?
The Illinois primary will take place on Tuesday, March 19. Under state law, polls across the state will open at 6 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m. on election day.
Who's eligible to vote?
Under Illinois law, voters in a primary election must be U.S. citizens who turn 18 on or before the date of the general election, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Voters must live in the precinct in which they're casting their ballot at least 30 days in advance of the primary election date. In addition to that, any Illinois residents who are currently incarcerated for a criminal conviction are ineligible to vote, but any formerly-incarcerated person who's on parole, probation or has fully completed their criminal sentence is immediately eligible to vote.
Where can I vote?
Polling places vary by county and precinct. You can find out where you'll need to go on election day by visiting the Illinois State Board of Elections website and entering your address, including your zip code, street name and street number.
What do I need to bring with me to vote?
In Illinois, voters don't need to present proof of identification on registration day as long as their registration information hasn't changed since the last time they voted. Illinois residents can register online, in-person at their local election office, or at driver's license facilities.
Online voter registration will close on Sunday, March 3 at 11:59 p.m. and won't reopen again until after the primary. You can register to vote here, or if you just want to check whether or not you're already registered, you can enter your name, birthdate and zip code here.
Finally, if you just realized you missed the window to register, you've still got a chance to make sure your voice is heard. Many Illinois jurisdictions offer grace period registration even after the usual registration period ends. You can find an option close to you here.
Who's on the ballot?
Because 2024 is a presidential election year, ballots will be pretty full for the primary election. Voters will vote for their choice of presidential candidate, congressional representatives, state representatives, state senators, delegates to the national party conventions, judges, county-level election candidates and potentially more based on their county of residence. You can review who's running for office in each voting district here.
However, Illinois voters can only vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary election, not both. Voters will simply need to ask for which ballot they wish to fill out when they arrive at their polling place; you don't need to register with a party in advance.
Can I vote early?
All election offices in Illinois are required to have early voting opportunities, and any registered voter can choose to vote early without needing to provide a reason. The period for early voting starts 40 days before an election and runs through the end of the day before Election Day. Hours vary by location, and you can search the hours of operation for your local election agency here.
In addition to early in-person voting, any registered Illinois voter also has the option to vote by mail for any reason. Applications to receive a mail-in ballot must be made through your local election agency. You can find a list of jurisdictions, as well as their vote-by-mail applications, here. Ballots must be requested by Thursday, March 14.
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