Voting In Illinois

In general, identification is not required to vote at the polls, although voters will be required to verify their signatures. However, there are individual circumstances that may require that identification be shown … Click to learn more

In general, identification is not required to vote at the polls, although you will be required to verify your signature. However, there are individual circumstances that may require that identification be shown. In those cases, you must present a photo ID, and if the photo ID has an address, it must match the registration address. If a photo ID is not used, the document (examples of which are listed below) must show your name and address. This must be presented to an election judge before being permitted to vote.

If you do not present a required form on identification, you may vote on a provisional ballot. For further information, please see Provisional Voting below.

If you registered to vote by mail after January 1, 2003, and you did not submit a copy of the required identification with the registration application at that time, and you will be voting in a jurisdiction for the first time, then you will be required to submit a copy of one of the following:

• Current and valid photo identification
• Utility bill
• Government check
• Paycheck
• Government document

Illinois voters who vote during the early voting period must vote in person and must provide a valid identification. Valid forms of identification for this purpose include a current driver's license, state-issued identification card, or another government-issued identification card.

The polls are open from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Employers must grant employees two hours to vote during their regular working shift. This time off is unpaid unless specified otherwise by the employer.

You can find your polling place by utilizing the following local resources: City of Chicago. Lake County McLean County.… Click to learn more

You can find your polling place by utilizing the following local resources: City of Chicago. Lake County McLean County.

If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.

The voting systems used in Illinois are optical scan, DRE and hybrid.… Click to learn more

The voting systems used in Illinois are optical scan, DRE and hybrid.

To find out what voting machine is used in your county, please visit your state's resource.

p>Optical Scan: With this system, you will receive a card or sheet of paper, which you take over to a private table or booth. The card has the names of the various candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or pencil you fill in a little box or circle or the space between two arrows. When you are finished filling out all the cards, you may bring the cards over to a ballot box, where poll workers will show you how to put the cards in the box. Or in some places, you may feed the completed cards or papers into a computer device that checks your card or paper right there at the polling place to make sure you have voted the way you want to and counts the votes.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE): This is the newest kind of system in use in the U.S. All the information about who and what you are voting for is on an electronic screen like a TV or computer screen.

There are many variations of DREs because lots of companies are inventing new ones, and many cities, counties and states are trying them out. Usually, after you have signed in, the poll workers will give you a card that you slide into a device to start your voting session.

Some of these devices will show all of the candidates and ballot choices on one big screen. Often, with these big screen devices you push a button next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for (or yes or no on a ballot measure). On other DREs, the screen is set up to show “pages.” On each screen or page, there will probably be one thing to vote on. For example, on one screen or page, you might vote for president. Then you might move to the next page to vote for senator. Often these small-screen devices have a “touch screen,” where you touch the screen next to the name of the person you want to vote for. Other devices have a key pad. And some have a keyboard, so you can write in the name of someone you want to vote for.

You let the system know you are finished voting by pushing a button, touching the screen or entering something on a keypad.

Numerous provisions are available to aid voters with disabilities. If you are a disabled voter you may request the opportunity to register at home and have registration materials brought to you… Click to learn more

Numerous provisions are available to aid voters with disabilities. If you are a disabled voter you may request the opportunity to register at home and have registration materials brought to you. You may also request to register to vote by mail.If you are permanently physically disabled, in a nursing home or in a hospital, you may also be eligible for absentee voting.

The Help America Vote Act requires that election authorities have voting equipment in place for voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently, and Illinois is no exception. Additionally, there are options for a seated voting booth, voting assistance from a friend, relative, or two election judges (one from each party), and curbside voting.

Language assistance is alsoavailable where required under amendments to the Federal Voting Act of 1992.

For more information on the provisions available for disabled voters, please contact your local election authority.