Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Here's where to find more stories about Election Day, including how to get live results, last-minute voter guides and more.
Election Day for 2024 gets underway Tuesday, Nov. 5, with polls across Illinois opening bright and early.
And while polling place hours are the same for every location across the state of Illinois, your specific Election Day polling place may be different than where you could cast a ballot during early voting.
As voting on Election Day begins, here's what time know about polling place hours and what time polls open and close in Illinois.
What time to polls open in Illinois on Election Day?
Under Illinois state law, all polling sites across the state open at 6 a.m. CST on Election Day.
In Indiana, polls also open at 6 a.m. local time.
What time do polls close in Illinois on Election Day?
Polls in Illinois close on Election Day at 7 p.m. In Indiana, polls close at 6 p.m. local time.
Can you still vote if you're in line after polls close?
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Yes.
Voters who are in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast ballots, according to Illinois law. So if you're rushing to your polling place at the last minute, don't worry if you see a line - and don't let anyone try to dissuade you from casting your ballot.
Can you register to vote on Election Day in Illinois?
Yes, you can register to vote -- and vote -- on Election Day in Illinois. But not all Election Day voting locations have that option available.
Here’s a step-by-step process of how same-day voter registration works in Illinois, and what to know.
Residents who would like to register to vote can do so on Election Day, but must go to a polling place that offers grace-period voter registration.
Do you need to register to vote every year?
No.
You only need to register to vote once -- and you might already be registered to vote. You can lookup your voter registration here.
A tool to find information on those polling places can be found on the Illinois Board of Elections’ website.
Can you vote anywhere in Illinois on Election Day?
No.
On Election Day, you'll likely need to vote at an assigned place based on your precinct. And depending on where you live, your Election Day polling place may not be the same as an early voting location near you.
Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at any ballot box near you, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. You can find a ballot drop-off box here. These boxes are often places inside polling locations, and are subject to a polling place's hours of operation.
MORE: What can and can't you bring with you to vote in Illinois? Do's and don'ts for Election Day
Ballots must be dropped off before polls close on Election Day, or postmarked by the United States Post Office no later than Election Day in order to be properly counted.
Here's how to find out what your Illinois Election Day polling place is.
