What dates should I know this election?
There are a lot of important dates and deadlines for voters surrounding Election Day. Here's what you need to know before and after Nov. 5.
Deadlines and dates that matter for the election are coming up soon. Here’s a breakdown:
Sept. 26 – Early voting begins statewide. Vote by mail ballots start being sent out.
Oct. 8 – Regular voter registration ends.
Oct. 9 – Grace period registration opens.
Oct. 20 – Online voter registration ends.
Oct. 21 – First day of early voting in Cook County.
Oct. 31 – Deadline for application to vote by mail to be received by election authority by mail.
Nov. 4 – Early voting ends.
Nov. 5 – Election Day. Polls open 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Vote by mail ballots must be postmarked by this day.
- 7 p.m., absentee and vote by mail ballots begin being counted.
Nov. 19 – Last day for election authorities to accept mailed ballots, which must be postmarked no later than Nov. 5.