How to vote in Illinois in 2026: A comprehensive guide

ILLINOIS (Chambana Today) — Chambana Today has compiled a comprehensive election guide to help voters prepare for the March 17 primary and the Nov. 3 general election. The guide outlines key dates, registration options and voting procedures for Illinois residents, including how to vote early, cast a ballot by mail or register on Election Day.

Key primary election dates

Voters should be aware of the following deadlines for the March 17 primary:

• Feb. 5: Early voting begins; election authorities begin mailing ballots

• Feb. 17: Last day to register through the standard process

• Feb. 18: Grace period registration begins (voters must cast ballots at time of registration)

• March 1: Online voter registration closes

• March 12: Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot

• March 16: Last day of early voting

• March 17: Primary Election Day (polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

• March 31: Deadline for mail ballots to be received if postmarked by Election Day

Official results will be proclaimed April 7.

What’s on the ballot in 2026

The 2026 election includes one U.S. Senate seat and all statewide constitutional offices, along with every Illinois U.S. House seat and some Illinois Senate seats.

Statewide offices on the ballot include:

• Governor

• Attorney General

• Secretary of State

• Comptroller

• Treasurer

• U.S. Senator

How to register to vote

Illinois residents may register in several ways:

• Online: Through the state’s voter registration portal. Online registration closes March 1 for the primary.

• In person: At local election authorities and designated government locations through Feb. 17.

• Grace period registration: Available beginning Feb. 18; voters must register and vote at the same time.

• By mail: Forms must be postmarked by Feb. 17.

• Election Day registration: Available at designated polling locations with proper identification.

To register online, voters must provide:

• Illinois driver’s license or state ID number

• Date the ID was issued

• Last four digits of their Social Security number

• Birth date

Voting by mail

Vote-by-mail ballots must be requested by March 12 for the primary. Ballots must be postmarked by March 17 and may be received through March 31.

Ballots can be:

• Returned by mail using prepaid envelopes

• Delivered to local election authorities

• Placed in secure drop boxes where available

Voting on Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 17 and Nov. 3. Voters in line by 7 p.m. are guaranteed the opportunity to cast a ballot.

Voters with registration questions may cast provisional ballots and have seven days to resolve eligibility issues with their local election authority.

U.S. Senate candidates (Competing to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin)

Democratic primary

• Steve Botsford Jr.

• Awisi A. Bustos

• Sean Brown

• Jonathan Dean

• Adam Delgado

• Robin Kelly

• Raja Krishnamoorthi

• Stanley Leavell

• Kevin Ryan

• Juliana Stratton

• Christopher Swann

Republican primary

• Casey Chlebek

• Don Tracy

• R. Cary Capparelli

• Pamela Denise Long

• Jimmy Lee Tillman II

• Jeannie Evans

Governor & Lieutenant Governor (Republican ticket candidates on the primary ballot)

• Ted Dabrowski & Carrie Mendoza

• James Mendrick & Robert Renteria

• Darren Bailey & Aaron B. Del Mar

• Rick Heidner & Christina Neitzke-Troike

(Incumbent Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker is unopposed in the Democratic primary.)

Attorney General

• Republican: Robert W. Fioretti

(Incumbent Democrat Kwame Raoul is running for re-election and is not opposed.)

Secretary of State

• Walter Adamczyk (R)

• Diane M. Harris (R)

(Incumbent Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is running for re-election.)

State Comptroller

Democratic primary candidates

• Margaret Croke

• Stephanie Kifowit

• Holly Kim

• Karina Villa

Republican primary candidate

• Bryan Drew

State Treasurer

• Mike Frerichs (Democrat) (running unopposed on the ballot)

(No Republican candidate filed as of certification.)

U.S. House of Representatives

All 17 congressional seats are up for election. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly are vacating their House seats to run for Senate, and longtime Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis are retiring, leading to competitive primaries in multiple districts.