Residents in Chicago and numerous other suburbs will head to their polling places on Tuesday for elections, with several key offices on the line.
The big story, of course, has been the Chicago mayoral election, with nine candidates likely vying for two spots in a runoff election in that race, but there are several other communities that will be holding primaries on that date, making for some interesting news stories in the coming weeks.
For those looking to vote on Tuesday, the Illinois State Board of Elections is offering tips and answers to a variety of questions before those casting ballots head to their polling places.
What Localities are Having Elections on Tuesday?
According to the State Board of Elections, Chicago isn’t the only area that will have primary elections on Tuesday.
Some communities in Cook, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake and Livingston counties are also among those that will be holding balloting on that date, with residents urged to check with their local county clerks’ offices for more information.
I Want to Vote but Haven’t Registered. Can I Still Vote Tuesday?
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Illinois offers same-day voter registration, but those voters will be required to provide identification to register and to cast a ballot.
According to the SBE, valid forms of identification include a driver’s license or state ID, a utility bill, a government check, a paycheck, a lease or contract for residence, a bank statement, or any other form of government document that includes the voter’s name and address.
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A student ID is also accepted, but must be accompanied by a piece of mail addressed to the residence at which the voter is seeking to register.
Do You Need Your Voter Card to Cast a Ballot?
Under Illinois law, you are not required to carry your voter card into the polling place. Doing so can help serve as a reminder of which precinct you vote in and what offices will be on your ballot, but they are not required.
Illinois also does not require photo ID to cast ballots, unless a voter is registering for same-day or grace-period registration, or is turning in a mail-in ballot and choosing to vote in-person instead.
What if I Want to Return a Vote-by-Mail Ballot to a Polling Place?
According to Illinois officials, voters cannot return their mail-in ballots directly to a polling place.
If you do so, you will instead be told to “spoil” the ballot, and then cast a new one in-person.
Ballots can still be turned in via mailboxes through Election Day, or can be dropped off in-person at your county clerk’s office or into a designated drop box.
