Are you registered to vote in Illinois' 2024 general election? Here's what to know

Illinois voters will weigh in on key contests in the 2024 general election — including races for the White House, Congress, and the state legislature.

Hoping to cast a ballot this November? Here’s your guide to voter registration in Illinois.

When is Election Day?

Election Day is Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Who is eligible to vote?

• To register to vote in Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen.
• General election voters must be at least 18 years old, though 17-year-olds may vote in primaries if they will be 18 by the next general election.
• You may not vote in Illinois if you also claim the right to vote somewhere else.
• Residents who are currently incarcerated may not vote, but voting rights are restored upon completing their sentences.
• In general, you must have lived in your current precinct for at least 30 days before the election. If you moved shortly before the election, you may be able to vote in your old polling place by completing an affidavit, or you may be able to transfer your registration using grace period registration and voting.
• If you changed your name since you last updated your registration, you must re-register to vote.

When is the voter registration deadline?

You may register to vote online through Oct 20. In-person voter registration is open through Oct. 8.

What is grace period registration?

Grace period registration allows Illinois residents to cast a ballot after missing the voter registration deadline or to vote while changing their address. The grace period runs from the end of regular registration  through Election Day. Grace period registration takes place in person at local election offices, as well as at some early voting sites and at certain polling places on Election Day.

You can search for grace period registration locations on the Illinois State Board of Elections website. A complete list will be available closer to the election.

How can I check to see if I'm registered to vote?

You can check whether you are registered to vote through a portal on the Illinois State Board of Elections Website.

How can I register to vote?

You can visit https://ova.elections.il.gov/ to submit an online voter registration application. To register online, you must provide your Illinois driver’s license or state identification number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the date your driver’s license or state I.D. was issued.

If you would prefer to register in person, you can submit your application at your county clerk’s office or Board of Election Commissioner’s office. City and village offices, township offices, schools, public libraries, and military recruitment offices offer voter registration. To register in person, you must show two forms of identification, one of which includes your current address.

Can I register by mail?

Yes. You can also print out an application from the Illinois State Board of Elections website and submit it by mail to your local election office. The application must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline.

To register by mail, you can provide proof of identity by submitting your driver’s license or state identification number. Otherwise, you can provide the last four digits of your Social Security number, a photo I.D., or a government document that shows your name and address — such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck.

If you are a student, you can present your college- or university-issued I.D. alongside a contract or lease for your residence or a piece of postmarked mail.

What is automatic voter registration?

Automatic voter registration allows eligible Illinois citizens to register to vote when they interact with state agencies, such as when they apply for a driver’s license.

Can I vote by mail?

Applications to vote by mail open Aug. 7. Mailed requests must be received by Oct. 31, and in-person requests must be made by Nov. 4.

Illinois has no-excuse mail-in voting, so every registered voter is eligible to vote by mail. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received within two weeks after the election.

Many jurisdictions offer secure vote-by-mail drop boxes where voters can deposit mail-in ballots before the polls close. The Illinois State Board of Elections maintains a searchable list of drop boxes on its website. A complete list will be available closer to the election.

When does early voting begin?

Early voting in Illinois starts up to 40 days prior to Election Day. You can find early voting locations and hours in your jurisdiction on the Illinois State Board of Elections website. A complete list will be available closer to the election.

Any registered voter may vote early without providing an excuse.

What races are on the ballot this fall?

The United States presidency and 15 of Illinois’s 17 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are all up for grabs. Two Congressional candidates — Republicans Mary E. Miller and Darin LaHood — are currently running unopposed.

At the state level, the Illinois House and Senate are on the ballot. So are seats on Illinois’ appellate and circuit courts, as well as two seats on the state Supreme Court. Neither Supreme Court seat is contested.

Voters will also be able to offer recommendations to elected officials via three statewide ballot measures — to require health insurance plans that offer pregnancy benefits to cover fertility treatments including IVF, to raise taxes on incomes above $1 million, and to establish civil penalties for candidates who interfere or attempt to interfere with election workers’ official duties. All three advisory questions are nonbinding.

Tilly Robinson is a summer reporting intern with the Gannett/USA Today Network at the Rockford Register Star. She can be reached via email at mrrobinson@gannett.com and on X @ tillyrobin .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Are you registered to vote in Illinois' 2024 general election? Here's what to know