Illinois' voter registration deadline for the 2024 election is soon. Here are key dates to know.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The deadline is fast approaching for Illinois voters to register to vote by mail or online in the 2024 presidential election, but voters will still be able to register in person if they vote early or cast their ballot on Election Day.
Click here to check your registration status.
To register to vote in Illinois you must meet the following qualifications:
- You must be a United States Citizen.
- You must be at least 17 years old on or before the date of the Primary Election and turn 18 on or before the date of the General or Consolidated Election (16 year olds may preregister to vote).
- You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
- You must not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction.
- You may not claim the right to vote anywhere else.
Here are some key deadlines to keep in mind for the Nov. 5 general election.
When is the last day to register by mail to vote in Illinois?
In order to register to vote by mail, your application must be postmarked by Oct. 8. You'll need to send it to your local election authority.
You can print out an application from the Illinois State Board of Elections, which also has information on where to send your application, depending on where you live.
When is the last day to register online to vote in Illinois?
If you don't register by mail by the Oct. 8 deadline, you can still register to vote online until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 20. The Illinois State Board of Elections has a tool to register online.
You will need to provide your Illinois driver's license or state ID number, the date the license or ID was issued, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and your date of birth.
Even if you miss the online registration deadline, you'll still be able to register in person at any early voting location, or on Election Day at your local polling place. Two forms of identification with at least one showing your current residence address are needed when you register in-person.
When is the last day to mail in or drop off your mail-in-ballot in Illinois?
If you're voting by mail, you have until Election Day (Nov. 5) to drop off your ballot in the mail or at an official election drop box. Any mail-in ballots postmarked before or on Election Day will be counted as long as they arrive within two weeks of Election Day.
When is the last day to vote early in Illinois?
Early voting will continue through Nov. 4, the day before Election Day.
In Chicago, early voting began at two downtown locations (the city's election supersite at 191 N. Clark St. and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners at 69 W. Washington, 6th Floor) on Oct. 3. Early voting sites in all 50 wards will begin on Oct. 21. For a full list of early voting locations and hours in Chicago, visit the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners' website.
For the rest of Illinois, you can look up early voting and polling place locations on the Illinois State Board of Elections website.