Voto y derechos civiles

Registered Illinois voters can vote by mail without giving a reason. El voto por correo también se llama voto en ausencia. However, a voter does not need to be away from home or unable to vote in person on Election Day to use the vote-by-mail process.

First-time voters who registered by mail must provide the required proof of identity and have it verified by the election authority before voting by mail. Contact the local election authority if verification is incomplete.

The rules for voting by mail are in Article 19 of the Election Code.

Voters must apply to their local election authority for a mail ballot. They can apply:

• Online through the election authority’s website,
• By mailing a completed application to the election authority, or
• In person at the election authority’s office.

Contact the local election authority for an application and instructions.

Voters generally must apply for each election unless they have signed up for permanent vote-by-mail status.

Most voters who do not have permanent vote-by-mail status can apply for a mail ballot starting 90 days before Election Day. The local election authority must receive the application:

• At least 5 days before Election Day if applying online or by mail, or
• By the day before Election Day, if applying in person.

Applying early gives voters more time to receive and return their ballots. A mailed application must be received by the deadline. A postmark alone is not enough. 

Voters applying in person can receive and complete their ballots at the election authority's office. They do not have to wait for a ballot to arrive by mail. Contact the local election authority to confirm office hours and arrangements.

Different deadlines may apply to military voters and voters overseas.

Yes, registered voters can apply for permanent vote-by-mail status through their local election authority. Applications are accepted year-round.

Once approved, voters receive mail ballots for future elections without having to apply for one each election. The application asks voters to select a party ballot for elections that require a party choice. Contact the election authority to change that choice or confirm which ballots will be sent.

Voters remain on the permanent list until:

• They ask to be removed,
• They notify the election authority of a change affecting their registration status, or
• The election authority confirms that they registered in another election authority’s jurisdiction.

When voters who are on permanent vote-by-mail status move, they must:

• Contact their election authority to update their information, and
• Confirm whether they need to apply again for permanent vote-by-mail status.

Mail ballots come with instructions. Voters must follow the instructions provided. 

Generally, to prepare a ballot for return:

1. Mark the ballot as instructed.
2. Fold the ballot as directed and place it in the provided ballot envelope.
3. Sign the certification on the envelope and complete any other required information.
4. Seal the envelope securely.

The certification is the voter's signed statement confirming the information printed on the envelope. Election officials check the signature when reviewing the ballot.

Voters who make a mistake or need help completing their ballots can contact their local election authority for instructions.

Yes, voting by mail is private. People who vote by mail have the same rights and duties to keep their ballot choices private as they do when voting in person. Voters must mark their mail ballots privately and follow the instructions for enclosing and sealing them. A voter who needs assistance can receive help, but the helper must follow the voter's directions and keep the voter's choices private. 

People who vote by mail must avoid taking or sharing "ballot selfies" or other photos showing their marked ballots. Knowingly marking or casting a ballot in a way that another person can observe the vote is a Class 4 felony in Illinois, except for assistance and other situations allowed by law. Learn more in section 29-9 of the Election Code.

Election officials verify the information and signature on the ballot envelope, then separate accepted ballots from identifying materials for counting. Ballot choices are private, but some voting records may be shared.

Records showing that a voter requested or returned a mail ballot may be available to the public or political committees. Those records do not show which candidates or ballot choices the voter selected. However, they may reveal which party ballot the voter selected in a primary. Learn more about how voter registration data may be shared.

Voters can return their completed ballots:

• By mail to the election authority that issued the ballot,
• In person at the election authority’s office, or
• At an official ballot drop box provided by that election authority, if available.

Follow the ballot's return instructions. If mailing the ballot, check whether the envelope has prepaid postage and add the required postage if needed. Returning a ballot in person or through an official drop box does not require postage.

Drop box locations, dates, and hours vary. Use the Illinois State Board of Elections’ ballot drop box lookup or contact the local election authority to confirm where and when to return the ballot.

The deadline for returning a mail ballot depends on how it is delivered.

If the ballot is returned by mail, it generally must be:

• Postmarked no later than Election Day, and 
• Received by the election authority within 14 days after Election Day.

Putting a ballot in the mail on Election Day does not guarantee an Election Day postmark. Voters mailing close to the deadline can take the envelope to a staffed post office counter and request a manual postmark. Some election authorities may be able to use a postal barcode tracking system to verify when the ballot was mailed if there is no postmark.

Mail ballots can also be delivered to the election authority’s office or an official ballot collection site by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ask the election authority to confirm authorized return locations and hours.

Maybe. A mail ballot without a postmark can still count if election officials can establish timely mailing under Illinois law:

• If the election authority uses a qualifying postal barcode tracking system, tracking information can verify that the envelope was mailed by Election Day, or
• If there is no postmark or usable tracking barcode, officials check the date on the voter's signed certification. That date must be on or before Election Day. Without a certification date, the ballot cannot count under this alternative.

The ballot must still reach the election authority within 14 days after Election Day and meet all other requirements. These exceptions do not allow voters to mail their ballots after Election Day.

Whether barcode tracking is available depends on the election authority's system. When mailing close to Election Day, voters can request a manual postmark at a staffed post office counter to document the mailing date.

These rules are in section 19-8(c) of the Election Code.

Yes, voters can authorize another person to deliver their completed mail ballots to the election authority. The person does not have to be a family member.

The voter and the person delivering the ballot must complete the authorization printed on the ballot return envelope. This includes the voter's signature, the delivery person's name and signature, and the required dates.

The ballot must remain sealed in its completed return envelope and arrive by the applicable deadline. Giving it to another person does not extend that deadline.

Voters can request an accessible mail ballot if they have a print disability. A print disability is:

• A temporary or permanent physical or mental impairment that
• Prevents a person from effectively reading, writing, or using printed materials.

Examples include blindness, low vision, difficulty using hands, and learning or cognitive disabilities.

The accessible ballot allows voters to receive their ballots electronically and use assistive technology, such as a screen reader or magnification software, to mark and check their choices privately and independently. The completed ballot must be printed and returned by mail, in person, or through an available official drop box. Receiving and marking a ballot electronically does not mean it can be returned online or by email.

Contact the local election authority for application instructions and help with printing or return arrangements. Find out more about accessible voting by mail from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Voters can check their ballot’s status through their local election authority. Some election authorities offer online tracking and notifications by text, email, or phone.

Depending on the system, tracking may show when the ballot was:

• Mailed to the voter,
• Received by the election authority, and
• Reviewed for counting.

A notice that the ballot was received does not necessarily mean it has been accepted for counting. Voters can contact the election authority if the status is unclear, the ballot has not arrived, or a returned ballot is not showing as received.

Contact the local election authority promptly if an expected mail ballot does not arrive, is lost or damaged, or contains a mistake. The election authority can explain how to request a replacement or vote in person instead.

Keep any damaged ballot and its envelope. Election officials may need those materials to cancel or replace the ballot.

If Election Day is approaching, ask about voting in person rather than waiting for another ballot to arrive by mail. Depending on the circumstances, voters may need to surrender the original ballot, sign a sworn statement called an affidavit, or cast a provisional ballot.

Voters must not cast both the original and replacement ballots.

Yes, requesting a mail ballot does not prevent voters from voting in person instead. Voters who still have their mail ballot can bring it to an early voting site or their Election Day voting location and surrender it to an election judge for cancellation.

On Election Day, voters can also receive a regular ballot by:

• Providing part of a torn or damaged mail ballot,
• Signing a sworn statement, called an affidavit, that they never received their mail ballot, or
• Signing an affidavit that they returned their mail ballot, but were informed that the election authority did not receive it.

Voters who received their mail ballot but cannot surrender it or meet an applicable exception may need to cast a provisional ballot. Election officials review the ballot before deciding whether it can count.

Voters must tell election judges about their mail ballot and must not vote twice. Contact the local election authority about switching to in-person voting, especially during early voting. 

Learn more about Voting in person.

A rejected mail ballot may still count after review. If election officials reject a ballot, the election authority must notify the voter within 2 days after rejection and before the ballot-counting period ends. The notice must explain the reason and the voter's opportunity to respond.

Reasons may include a signature that does not match the voter’s records, an open or resealed envelope, or records showing that the voter already voted.

Voters can appear before the election authority on or before the 14th day after Election Day and present evidence explaining why their ballot should count. A panel of three election judges reviews the ballot, related records, and the voter's evidence. No more than two judges on the panel may belong to the same political party.

Contact the local election authority promptly after receiving a rejection notice to ask what information is needed and how to respond. Requesting a review does not guarantee that the ballot will count.

Special voting procedures are available for eligible military voters, their spouses and dependents, and U.S. citizens living abroad.

Voters can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to request a ballot and, if needed, register to vote. The Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Illinois page provides forms, instructions, and deadlines. Illinois also offers a Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) system for requesting and tracking voting materials.

Deadlines and the offices included on the ballot can depend on the voter's circumstances. Voters should contact their local election authority early to confirm which rules apply.

Eligible voters who requested a ballot but have not received it in time may be able to use a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). This is a backup ballot. The Federal Voting Assistance Program explains when and how to use it.

The local election authority can help voters:

• Request a ballot or update permanent vote-by-mail arrangements,
• Get an accessible or replacement ballot,
• Confirm return locations and deadlines,
• Check whether a ballot was received and accepted, and
• Respond to a ballot rejection notice.

Voters can also contact:

• Election Protection by calling or texting (866) 687-8683,
• Equip for Equality at (800) 537-2632 for disability-related voting concerns, or
• The Illinois State Board of Elections at (217) 782-4141 or (312) 814-6440.

During elections, voters can report voting problems or suspected improper or illegal activity to the Illinois Attorney General’s election hotlines:

• In Northern Illinois, call (866) 536-3496, and
• In Central and Southern Illinois, call (866) 559-6812.

People with hearing or speech disabilities can reach the Attorney General’s Office through the 711 relay service.