Illinois early voting for the 2024 election is underway. Here's how to cast your vote
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Tuesday, Nov. 5, is Election Day across the nation, but there are several early voting options available for voters in Illinois before then.
Candidates for federal, state, and local offices will be on the ballot for the 2024 general election.
When does early voting start and end in Illinois?
Illinois is one of 39 states that offer early voting options to all eligible voters for any reason.
The time for early voting in Illinois starts on the 40th day before an election and lasts through the day before Election Day, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The specific in-person early voting dates, times and locations are published by individual election authorities, usually county clerk's offices.
In the City of Chicago, early voting at two downtown locations begins Thursday, Oct. 4, through Election Day at the voting supersite at 191 N. Clark and Board Offices at 69 W. Washington St. on the sixth floor.
In Cook County, traditional in-person early voting will take place Oct. 21 through Nov. 4.
Voting by mail is also an option. The Cook County Clerk's Office is now accepting applications for vote-by-mail ballots. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 5) in order to be counted.
Where can Illinois mail-in ballots be dropped off early?
Residents looking to vote by mail will be able to send back their completed ballot through the mail.
They can also drop off their ballots at multiple locations in their home counties. Each local election authority publishes a list of drop-off locations voters can leave their ballot at in the City of Chicago, suburban Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County (Illinois), McHenry County, and Will County.
For more information on voting by mail, the Illinois Board of Elections has a "Frequently Asked Questions" section on its website.
How to find the early voting locations in your Illinois county
Voters can also cast their ballots at a polling location in person.
Local election authorities also publish the locations, dates, and times when residents can vote early and in person in their county, including in the City of Chicago, suburban Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County (Illinois), McHenry County and Will County.
For more general information about early voting across the state, visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website at elections.il.gov.
Does Illinois release early voting results before Election Day?
According to the Illinois Board of Elections, local election authorities in the state are allowed to process vote-by-mail ballots as they receive them, but they cannot tabulate any totals until polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. The same rules apply to in-person ballots cast during early voting.
On election night, voters will likely see the counts for all vote-by-mail ballots that were received and processed before Election Day. But the state allows two weeks after Election Day for properly posted mail-in ballots to arrive and be counted, so the figures might change.
What's on the ballot in Illinois for the 2024 election?
Voters will see options for elected offices at the federal, state and local level on their ballots for the general election. They may also be able to vote on judicial candidates and ballot questions depending on where they live.
At the federal level, Illinois residents will be able to vote for the president and their individual members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Neither of the two U.S. Senate seats representing Illinois are up for election this year.
All members of the Illinois House of Representatives are up for election this year. State senate seats have staggered terms, so some seats are not up for election this year. The governor's office won't be up for election until 2026.
At the local level, many residents will be able to vote on county government positions, including countywide offices like the state's attorney and their local county board members.
In Illinois, residents will also be able to vote "yes" or "no" on three advisory ballot questions, which will essentially gauge opinion on three different issues.
"They're on there primarily for symbolic reasons," said Stephen Maynard Caliendo, a professor of political science at North Central College. "It's an opportunity for us to make our voice known, but they're not binding in any way."
The questions on each ballot include:
- "Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, State, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker's official duties?"
- "Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?"
- "Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitations on the number of treatments?"
