Note: As votes are counted across Illinois on election night, you can track results live on NBCChicago.com and in the NBC Chicago app. (Lea esta historia en español vía Telemundo Chicago aquí)
The 2022 midterm elections are well underway in Illinois, with early voting now open across the state ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8. Here's a look at some essential resources and information to help you feel prepared and informed as you perform your civic duty and make your voice heard.
One important note: You can always find detailed information and answers to your specific questions by contacting your local election authority. In Chicago, that's the Chicago Board of Elections. In Cook County outside of the city, and in the surrounding suburban counties, your local election authority is your county clerk's office.
When is the 2022 midterm election in Illinois?
This year, the midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Illinois and across the U.S.
How to register to vote in Illinois
Are you registered to vote in Illinois? If you're not sure, you can check here by entering your name, address and birth date. To register to vote in Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old by the date of the general election and not serving a sentence in a penal institution because of a criminal conviction.
If you're not registered yet, it's not too late! While the deadline to register online was Oct. 23, you can still take advantage of grace period registration in person during early voting or at your polling place on Election Day. To do so, you have to bring two forms of identification, one with your current address (like a utility bill), and be prepared to cast your ballot at the same time. If you've moved since the last time you voted, you can also use grace period registration to update your registration to your current address. A full list of locations where you can take advantage of grace period registration can be found here.
How to vote in Illinois
There are three ways to vote in Illinois, with details on each listed below:
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1: You can request a mail-in ballot and return it by either sending it through the U.S. Postal Service or by hand delivering it to your local election authority at an approved drop-off location. It must be post-marked by Election Day in order to be counted.
2: You can vote early in person at an early voting location in your jurisdiction.
3: On Election Day, you can vote in person at your precinct's specific polling place or, if your local election authority allows, at another voting location within your jurisdiction that will be open on Nov. 8.
Here's what you need to know about each of the three options:
How to vote by mail in Illinois
Anyone registered to vote in Illinois is eligible to vote by mail, no excuse needed.
Voters have until Nov. 3 to request a mail ballot, though election officials always advise you apply as early as possible to allow enough time for the ballot to arrive and be returned. To be counted, your mail ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within 14 days after.
You can find more information about voting by mail on the Illinois State Board of Elections website here or through your local election authority, which is where you will also find an application to request a mail-in ballot.
If you requested to vote by mail and want to hand deliver your ballot, bypassing the U.S. Postal Service, you can do so in person at your election authority's office or at designated drop box locations.
How to vote early in the Chicago area
Thousands have already cast their ballot in person ahead of Election Day, with more early voting locations slated to open in the coming days. Here's a full list of early voting locations in Chicago, suburban Cook County and 10 other counties across the area, as well as the dates and times they will be open:
Remember though that in most counties, Election Day polling locations are often different from early voting locations.
How to vote on Election Day
If you prefer to cast your ballot on Election Day, in most counties in Illinois you have just one option: your designated polling place. If you don't know where that is, you can find it by entering your address here on the State Board of Elections website. You can also find it by visiting your election authority or county clerk's website.
If you are a resident of Chicago, you have a few more options, as nearly all early voting sites will remain open on Election Day for all voters in the city. And in DuPage County, any resident can vote at any of the 269 polling places across the county on Election Day as part of the clerk's "Vote Anywhere" initiative.
When are polls open on Election Day?
Polls open at 6 a.m. statewide, and will stay open through 7 p.m. But remember - if you are IN LINE when polls close, you can still vote! 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.
Who's on the ballot in Illinois
There are so many important races happening in Illinois this election, so we've created a tool to help you learn who your representatives are - and who's running against them - before you vote.
For a complete sample ballot, including all local and judicial races, be sure to visit your local election authority's website. But to find out who you can vote for in many of the major races (for governor, Congress and in the state legislature), enter your address below:
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections
Amy O’Kruk/NBC
What are the races to watch in Illinois?
There are countless races up and down the ballot across Illinois with important and interesting narratives, some garnering national attention in another contentious and high-stakes election cycle.
Here's a look at some of the biggest races you should be watching in the Chicago area and across the state:
How to research judges on the ballot
Many of the names on your ballot this election are judges, who are elected from specific districts or circuits, not statewide, so the judges you vote for will be different based on where you live.
The Illinois Supreme Court has seven total seats: three from the First District, which is Cook County alone, and one each from the four other districts across the state. After winning their first elections, Supreme Court justices serve 10-year terms and are up for retention votes to win any additional 10-year terms thereafter.
This year, there are two vacancies on the Illinois Supreme Court. In the Second District (which includes Lake, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties), the two candidates are Republican Mark Curran and Democrat Elizabeth "Liz" Rochford. In the Third District (which includes DuPage, Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, Grundy, LaSalle and Bureau counties), the candidates are Republican Michael J. Burke and Democrat Mary K. O'Brien. Justice Mary Jane Theis of the First District is also up for a retention vote.
On the Illinois Appellate Court, there are five vacancies. Two are in the First District (Cook County), with only one candidate running for each of those vacancies. Then there's one vacancy each in the Second, Third and downstate Fifth districts, all with contested races. Multiple Appellate Court judges across the state (including six in Cook County) are also up for retention votes this year.
Then there's Illinois' circuit court system. The state has 24 judicial circuits, six of which are a single county: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will. The circuit courts deal with millions of legal cases every year, on everything from crime to civil lawsuits, divorce, adoption, eviction, traffic tickets, workers' compensation, wills and more.
There are two types of judges in Illinois' circuit court system: circuit judges, who are elected by voters for a six-year term and then up for a retention vote for each term thereafter, and associate judges, who are appointed by other judges.
In Cook County, two-thirds of the roughly 400 judges are elected - either countywide or on a subcircuit, which is a particular portion of the county, similar to a district. This election cycle, there are 27 vacancies in the Cook County Circuit Court that are on the ballot: 10 countywide and 17 in subcircuits. There's only one candidate in all but one of those vacancies. And there are 55 Cook County Circuit Court judges up for retention votes this cycle as well.
Of the nearly 50 other circuit court vacancies on ballots in Illinois outside Cook County this election, 18 have more than one candidate. There are also nearly 50 circuit court judges outside Cook County who are up for retention votes.
There are plenty of resources to help you decide who to vote for and who to retain, including evaluations of each judge by several local bar associations (organizations made up of attorneys). You can find those recommendations on judges' qualifications from organizations like the Chicago Bar Association, the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Illinois State Bar Association, among several others, on VoteforJudges.org.
For a more in-depth analysis of just Cook County, Injustice Watch has also compiled information on each candidate, including their backgrounds, any controversies, ratings, fundraising and more.
What should I bring to vote in person?
If you are taking advantage of grace period registration, you need to bring two forms of ID, one with your address, like a utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, etc.
If you are already registered to vote at your current address, you do not need a government-issued photo ID to vote under Illinois law. But it can be helpful to bring one should any questions about registration, address, signature, or more arise during the voting process.
And if you need notes to help you remember which candidates you want to vote for, go ahead and bring them! You are legally allowed to bring written or printed materials into the voting booth to assist you.
Can I take a ballot selfie?
NO. In Illinois, ballot selfies are prohibited by state law. It's a felony to mark your ballot so another person can see how you voted, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to three years.
State election officials have long said it's "unlikely" anyone would be prosecuted for a ballot selfie, but you should play it safe and take a picture of your "I Voted" sticker or pose next to the polling place sign instead.
What should I do if I run into any problems voting?
While millions of people will cast their ballots without any issues, some may be challenged on their voting eligibility, experience voter intimidation, or have trouble at their polling place.
If you run into any issues at all, or simply have questions about the process, you are encouraged to call the Election Protection hotlines at:
- 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683): English
- 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682): Spanish/English
- 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683): Asian languages/English
- 1-844-YallaUS (1-844-925-5287): Arabic/English
The hotline is run by a nonpartisan coalition of more than 100 organizations, led by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
How to get live Illinois election results
Live Election Day coverage will air on NBC 5 throughout the evening and at 10 p.m. You can also track up-to-the-minute race results live right here on NBCChicago.com or through the NBC Chicago app, where you can turn on notifications to be the first to know about winners of the biggest races.
