CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 02: A resident drops off a vote-by-mail ballot in a secure drop box on October 02, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The city opened its first early voting site in the Loop yesterday with more sites expected to open in the city soon. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
While the primary election is just days away, it is not too late to request a vote-by-mail ballot, but a deadline is fast approaching to do so.
According to the state’s Board of Elections, applications to vote by mail must be received no later than five days prior to an election, so if voters want to cast their ballots via the mail for the primary election, they must apply by Thursday.
Here’s what you need to know about voting by mail in Illinois.
READ: Your voter's guide to the 2024 Illinois primary election
Who is Eligible to Vote by Mail in Illinois?
According to Illinois law, any qualified voter who is properly registered can vote by mail. Voters also have the option to request a mail-in ballot for a single election, or to permanently receive such ballots, depending on the forms they submit.
Members of the U.S. military who are expected to be absent from their county of residence on Election Day can also submit vote-by-mail ballots, but applications to do so must be received no less than 30 days prior to the election.
Registered citizens of the U.S. who are temporarily out of the country can also vote by mail in Illinois.
Election Headlines - Illinois
How to Get a Vote-by-Mail Application
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Applications to vote by mail can be found on the State Board of Elections’ website. They can also be obtained in-person at a county clerk’s office, and all required documentation must be submitted by Thursday, according to officials.
What is Required on the Registration Form?
All voters interested in voting by mail will be required to provide their name, their address, the address where they would like the ballot to be mailed, and their party affiliation for purposes of the primary election ballot.
They must also provide a signature.
When is the Deadline to Mail Ballots?
Ballots cast by mail must be postmarked by the date of the election, which is on March 19. Ballots must be received within two weeks of that date in order to be counted toward the results of the race, according to the BOE.
Can I Choose to Vote In-Person Instead?
Voters can choose to cast ballots on Election Day, but will be required to take an additional step to do so. That can include submitting their mail-in ballot to an election judge for cancellation. If a voter never received their ballot, they must sign an affidavit stating they did not get their ballot prior to voting.
Voters can also sign an affidavit stating they completed and returned their vote, but that the election authority didn’t receive it.
If a voter received the ballot but did not return it and doesn’t have the ballot to turn in to election judges, they will only be permitted to cast a provisional ballot, which would only be counted upon confirmation that the voter did not vote in any other fashion.
