Request your absentee or mail ballot in Illinois

• Earliest day to apply: 90 days before Election Day
• Request deadline (online): 5 days before Election Day (only available in certain municipalities)
• Request deadline (by mail): Received 5 days before Election Day
• Request deadline (in person): 1 day before Election Day
• Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
• Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day

Some cities or counties in Illinois allow you to request your ballot online. Request your ballot with our tool to determine if yours does. If an online request portal is not available for your area, our tool will email you a ballot request form that you can print, sign, and mail.

1. Download the Illinois absentee ballot application.
2. Fill out all of the required fields.
3. Print the application.
4. Sign and date your application. This is very important.
5. Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
6. If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
7. Your application must be received 5 days before Election Day .

1. Visit your local election office.
2. Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
3. Fill out all of the required fields.
4. Sign and date your application.
5. The deadline to apply in person is 1 day before Election Day .

1. Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
2. Sign and date the outside envelope.
3. Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided drop box. Please check with your local election office if your county has a drop box. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official drop box.
4. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day .
5. If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day .
6. If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.

• ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:

  Online application: You can apply online if you have an Illinois driver's license number or Illinois state ID number. Paper application: The signature on your application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.

• ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:

  Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.

Illinois does not have a statewide ballot tracker. Contact your local election office.

Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.

Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.

• Emergency ballot request starts 14 days before Election Day
• Emergency ballot request ends Election Day
• Emergency ballot return deadline is 7PM Election Day

Contact your local election office