When does Early Voting Begin for the March 17th Presidential Primary 2020? Early voting in Illinois begins March 2-16.
Where can I go to Vote Early in Cook County? Here are early voting locations for Suburban Cook County voters: https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/service/early-voting-locations
What requirements are needed to vote early? Any qualified and registered voter may vote PRIOR to Election Day at any site established for early voting by the Election Authority.
Illinois State Board of Elections Early Voting Locations and Grace Period Registration can be found here: https://www.elections.il.gov/VotingAndRegistrationSystems/EarlyVotingLocationsSearch.aspx?MID=A3RIOjKplz4%3d&T=637169523028624746
What is Early Voting?
Early Voting
An “Early Voting” process permits voters to cast their ballots prior to Election Day without reason or excuse. Under the law, registered voters can vote early beginning the 40th day before an election through the end of the day preceding an election. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15.
The election authorities must identify early voting sites by publication the week before Early Voting begins and once each week during such voting. In addition to the Election Authority being available for early voting, authorities may also establish permanent and temporary polling places in its jurisdiction to accommodate early voting.
Beginning the 15th day before an election through the day before an election, all permanent polling places must remain open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m., and until 7 p.m. for the last 8 days before the election. On weekends, including holidays, these polling places must be open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays, and 10:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Sundays., and for at least 14 hours over the last weekend before the General Election. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15
Counties with over 250,000 residents are required to establish one permanent polling place in the three largest municipalities, and if one of those municipalities has a population over 80,000, then two permanent polling places must be established in that municipality.
Counties with a population over 100,000 but under 250,000 must have at least one location for early voting (which may be the authority’s main office). Board of Election Commissioners for municipalities with a population over 100,000 are required to have two permanent polling places. 10 ILCS 5/19A-10.
In addition to the hours applicable for all permanent polling locations, these population-based permanent polling locations must remain open for at least 8 hours on any holiday during the early voting period and a total of at least 14 hours on the final weekend before the election. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15
Traditionally, early voters were required to produce photo ID in order to vote. That requirement was eliminated prior to the 2014 election.
Illinois State Board of Elections – IMPORTANT FACTS – A qualified voter to whom a vote by mail ballot was issued may vote early if they submit that vote by mail ballot for cancellation to the judges or election official conducting early voting. If the voter is unable to submit the vote by mail ballot, it shall be sufficient for the voter to submit to the judges or election official (i) a portion of the vote by mail ballot if the vote by mail ballot was torn or mutilated or (ii) an affidavit executed before the judges or election official specifying that the voter never received a vote by mail ballot or the voter completed and returned a vote by mail ballot and was informed that the election authority did not receive that vote by mail ballot. Special NOTE: The votes cast during the early voting period will not be counted until after the polls close on Election Day.