In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
Voter Registration
To vote you must register.
- You must register again when you move or change your name.
- Any US citizen born on or before November 5, 2006 may register.
- Any naturalized citizen can register to vote. Please have your naturalization certificate for registration.
- A person in jail awaiting sentencing is eligible to register to vote. Once convicted, a person can register and vote again after they have served their time/sentence.
- The deadline for registering outside of the election offices is October 8, 2024.
- WHAT YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE
- Two forms of identification, one must show your current address and current name. The other just your current name. (State ID, FOID, school ID, mortgage or utility bill with current address, naturalization certificate, etc.)
- The last four numbers of your Social Security.
- If you are a naturalized citizen, the date and place (City & Court) of your naturalization.
- ONLINE REGISTRATION To register online you must have a current Illinois driver’s license or Illinois State ID. The online voter registration application website is https://ova.elections.il.gov.
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
One-stop shop for your voting information
https://illinoisvoterguide.org/ is powered by the League of Women Voters of Illinois and includes live links to:
- Register to vote
- Check voter registration
- Find what is on your ballot (on November 5, 2024)
- Apply for Vote by Mail ballot
Voting in Person
Local Elections and Voting Information Links
https://www.voterockfordil.gov/ City of Rockford Board of Elections. This site includes links to register to vote, voting options, and district information. For more detailed information, download this PDF.
https://clerk.winncoil.gov/ Winnebago County Clerk’s Office and includes election information
https://www.boonecountyil.gov Boone county voter and election information
https://www.lwvil.org/ League of Women Voters of Illinois website
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
Mail-in Ballots:
42+ states and the District of Columbia have approved mail-in, or absentee balloting. It’s a safe method for those concerned about Covid-19 or long lines on Election Day. You can mail it or drop it off at the ballot drop-off boxes at the Winnebago or Boone County Clerks’ offices or the Rockford Board of Elections.
HOW DO I GET A MAIL-IN BALLOT?
Anyone who is registered to vote in Illinois can request a mail ballot, and anyone who applied to vote in 2018-2023 will automatically receive a vote-by-mail application through the postal service or email.
Voters must submit their applications either by mail or in person to their local voting jurisdiction. For those who haven’t voted in recent years, applications for each jurisdiction can be found at elections.il.gov/electionoperations/VotingByMail.aspx.
WHEN DO I GET MY BALLOT?
If their application is approved, voters will receive their ballot by mail. Ballots begin going out on September 8, 2024, the same day early voting begins.
Ballots must be returned by November 5 either in person at the local election authority or by mail. Officials will accept ballots by mail up to 15 days after the election, but they must be postmarked by November 5.
HOW CAN I TELL MY MAIL-IN BALLOT IS SAFE WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE POSTAL SERVICE?
Each mail-in ballot envelope has a UPC code which relates to a tracking number. You can follow the progress of your envelope on usps.gov. If there is a blank envelope included with your ballot, be sure to put the ballot in the blank envelope, then insert it into the mailing envelope.
Tracking your ballot to your voting authority is just like tracking your package from Amazon, USPS, or UPS.
CAN I STILL VOTE IN PERSON?
Voters can still cast their mail-in ballots in person on Election Day or during early voting.
All early voting sites will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Early voting ends November 4.
Every election authority can establish one “super site” either at their office or in the jurisdiction’s largest municipality where any voter in the jurisdiction, regardless of precinct, can vote on Election Day.
Mail ballots will be counted on Election Night. Judges can begin verifying signatures and processing ballots up to 15 days prior to the election, but the ballots won’t be tabulated until November 5.
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
Rules involving political signage
Under Illinois law 65 ILCS 5/11-13-1, the posting of campaign signs on residential property at any time may not be prevented. Sign size is restricted however. Keep campaign signs and electioneering AWAY from polling locations by at least 100 feet. You can read up more here.
Make sure to include your sponsorship disclaimer identify the responsible party. i.e. “Paid for by (group or person).” For more info, check out this link.
How can I help to have fair and safe elections?
Become an election judge. In Illinois an election judge much must work the entire election day, from 6 AM until ballots are taken from the polling place to the voting authorities officers. It’s a long day, but you do get paid. Contact your voting authority: the county clerk in your county or The Rockford Board of Elections. The contact information is above.
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
Report problems
Voters who encounter problems while voting should report them to the Election Protection Hotline. Trained experts are prepared to talk voters through any issues.
- 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
- 1-888-API-VOTE (Asian multilingual assistance)
- 1-844-YALLA-US (Arabic)
No matter how you vote, the League of Women Voters wants to ensure everyone has the information they need to participate in our elections. For more specific questions about elections in your area or to get involved, reach out to your local League of Women Voters. We have more than 750 Leagues around the country.
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
Voter Intimidation
Issues or questions regarding perceived intimidation of an individual voter can be addressed at the time it occurs by calling the Election Protection Hotlines.
Related to a rally near a voting site, if you are a witness to or are aware of any type of intimidation, the ACLU of Illinois suggests the following be noted:
- How close the ralliers are to people in line to vote.
- How many of them there are.
- Whether they are communicating directly to voters.
- Whether they are armed (our understanding is that this would definitely be illegal).
- Whether their signs, chants, or other speech appears designed to intimidate.
- Whether their rally – intentionally or not – makes it physically difficult for people to get in line to vote.
In Illinois you cannot vote on-line.
(But you can legally receive a bottle of water while waiting in line to vote.)