Five states, including Illinois, will be holding their Primary Election Days on Tuesday, March 19, a week after both Joe Biden and Donald Trump secured their parties nominations to top the ticket as presidential candidates presented to voters in the General Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
However, that doesn’t mean Illinois voters will find no choices to make in their primary balloting. Voters will not only have an opportunity to weigh in on presidential nominees and their delegates but will also get an opportunity to vote for their chosen parties nominees for the U.S. House, Illinois House, some Illinois Senate seats, and numerous elections to Illinois’ judiciary, and local government offices like County Board and some County officials. City of Chicago voters will also have the opportunity to vote on a Real Estate Transfer Tax referendum.
This election cycle will be the second cycle under new legislative maps redrawn in 2020 following the decennial census and reapportionment process. It will be the first cycle for many voters to cast ballots in their new judicial districts following the remap process.
Information about Voting
According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, the polls are open from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Prior to voting, voters may familiarize themselves with their voting rights and related voter information. Click here to view Illinois Voter Information.
Sample ballots can be provided by your local Election Authority, which you can find how to contact here.
Each jurisdiction selects a voting system from among the systems that have been tested and certified for use in Illinois by the State Board of Elections. Each voter is entitled to receive instruction on the use of the voting equipment. Disabled voters may receive assistance in voting either from the election judges or from a person of the voter’s choice.
Click here to view Voting Systems by County.
Click here to view Voting Instructions and Assistance.
Click here for information on Voter Assistance.
Voters whose registration is active at their residence will receive a full ballot which includes all offices and public requests applicable to that address. Voters who have moved and not updated their registration record should check with their election authority (county clerk or board of election commissioners) to determine what ballot they may receive on Election Day.
If a voter’s name doesn’t appear on the official voter list or if his/her vote is successfully challenged, they may cast a provisional ballot. A voter who casts a provisional ballot may check the status of that ballot to determine whether it was tabulated.
Click here for information on Provisional Voting in Illinois.
Click here to search Provisional Ballots.
Candidates, political parties and civic organizations are entitled to appoint pollwatchers to observe the conduct of procedures in the polling place. Voters also play a key role in helping guarantee fair elections by reporting fraudulent activities in or near the polling place.
Click here for information on Pollwatchers.
Click here for information on Preventing Vote Fraud.