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Can I vote by mail in Illinois?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationTue, Oct 6 by mail · Sun, Oct 18 onlinePassed
Grace-period registration at your election office through Election Day.
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days after (Nov. 17), or in a drop box before polls close on Election Day.
Dropping it off? Drop-off is run by your county or town rather than the state, so locations vary. county election authority.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. State Board of Elections notice: in-person delivery may be by the voter, by any person authorized by the voter, or by a licensed motor-carrier delivery company; must be received before polls close at 7 p.m. No numeric limit stated. The notice does not mention drop boxes (the SBE vote-by-mail page says drop boxes exist and are postage-free, but does not say who may use them). source
- Mail request must be receivedThu, Oct 294 days
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Missed the request deadline?
- Voter admitted to a hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation center not more than 14 days before the election (on or after Oct. 20), or released but expected to be homebound on Election Day. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 7 p.m. (voted ballot back at the election authority). SBE Form A-12 'Application for Ballot for Qualified Voter Admitted to Hospital, Nursing Home, or Rehabilitation Center' with the attending physician's certificate; a registered voter from the voter's precinct or any legal relative hand-delivers the application to the election authority, signs an affidavit, carries the ballot to the voter and brings the sealed envelope back. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Tue, Nov 17 · 23 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- You have 14 days after the election to show your election authority why the ballot should count; they must send you a notice with the reason within 2 days. Deadline: Tue, Nov 17 · 23 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Illinois Ballots go out 40 days before Election Day (Sept. 24). In-person applications are accepted until the day before. Drop boxes are postage-free. Voters with print disabilities can get an electronically delivered ballot.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Illinois?
Will your ballot count in Illinois?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Illinois, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Mon, Nov 2. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: No ID for most voters; only voters who registered by mail without providing ID (HAVA first-time voters) must show ID Without one: Registered voters vote a regular ballot on signature; only a mail registrant who was required to show ID and does not is given a provisional ballot, which is not counted unless the registration ID is supplied.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Illinois has a permanent vote by mail status for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Submit form A-7-1 to your local election authority (not the State Board) and choose whether to get party ballots in primaries.
Illinois cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Fri, Dec 4.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.