Chicago voting guide: Early voting, polling hours and registration options

Chicago residents preparing to vote in the 2026 midterm election have several options for casting a ballot. Monday is the final day of early voting before Tuesday’s election, and the city’s 51 early voting centers will continue serving voters on Election Day alongside designated polling places.

Election Day polling hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. under Illinois law. To locate an assigned polling place, voters can use the Illinois State Board of Elections website, enter their address and ZIP code, and submit the search. For Chicago residents deciding where to go, the availability of the city’s voting centers provides an alternative to their assigned location.

Residents who still need to register can use Illinois’ in-person grace-period registration process through Election Day. Although the regular registration period ends 28 days before the election, designated locations offer this later option. Those locations include county clerk offices, early voting sites and select Election Day sites. Voters should confirm participating locations and hours with their local election authority before heading out.

Grace-period registrants need two forms of identification, including one that shows their address. They must be U.S. citizens, be at least 18 years old on Election Day and have lived in their precinct for at least 30 days before the election. Checking registration status ahead of a visit can help residents determine whether they need to complete this step.

Voters who already received a mail ballot but have not returned it should pay attention to the postmark deadline. Illinois requires those ballots to be postmarked by Election Day. Placing a ballot in a mailbox on Monday or Tuesday does not guarantee a timely postmark, according to the voting guidance, which cites changes in Postal Service postmarking practices. Applications for mail ballots have already closed.

Ballots include the Illinois governor’s race, U.S. House and Senate contests, state House races and state Senate races where applicable. Reviewing a location-specific sample ballot can help voters prepare for the choices they will encounter. Chicago election information is among the local resources identified in the guide.

Judicial voting also deserves a separate look. The guide identifies circuit and appellate court vacancies and judicial retention questions, while noting that its sample-ballot tool does not include judges. Voters seeking information about those choices can consult judicial election resources and the Illinois State Bar Association’s recommendations before casting their ballot.