Voting in Illinois, 2026
Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.
Every date, in order
- Thu, Sep 24 · passedEarly voting begins
- Mon, Nov 2 · 6 daysEarly voting ends; Last day for mail ballot applicationsEarly voting runs from Thursday September 24 through Monday November 2, 2026. Mail ballot applications must be received by Thursday October 29, 2026 by mail or online, or by Monday November 2, 2026 in person.1
- Tue, Nov 3 · 7 daysElection Day; Registration deadlineVoters can register and vote during the grace period, which runs from Wednesday October 7, 2026 through Election Day.1
- Tue, Nov 17 · 21 daysMail ballots must arriveMail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Tuesday November 17, 2026, 14 days after.1
- Tue, Nov 24 · 28 daysCounty/Local canvass; County/Local certificationLocal returns are canvassed within 21 days of the election, by November 24.2
- Fri, Dec 4 · 38 daysState canvass; State certificationThe statewide canvass is complete within 31 days of the election, by December 4.2
- After certificationDeadline to contest the resultA contest must be filed within 15 days after the official announcement of the results.3
Questions people ask about voting in Illinois
Q. When does early voting end in Illinois?
Early voting runs from Thursday September 24 through Monday November 2, 2026.
Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Illinois?
Voters can register and vote during the grace period, which runs from Wednesday October 7, 2026 through Election Day.
Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Illinois?
Mail ballot applications must be received by Thursday October 29, 2026 by mail or online, or by Monday November 2, 2026 in person.
Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Illinois?
Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Tuesday November 17, 2026, 14 days after.
Q. Who certifies the election in Illinois, and by when?
The county clerk receives the county results, canvasses them and sends them to the State Board of Elections, and in Peoria County the election board does this instead. County/Local results must be certified by Tuesday, November 24, 2026. Counties deliver certificates of election as part of the canvass process, which must conclude within 21 days of the election. The State Board of Elections, four members appointed by the Governor with two from each major party, receives the county results and certifies the statewide totals, and the Governor issues certificates to the winners. The State Board of Elections canvasses the votes within 31 days after the election, by December 4, 2026.
Q. What happens after the count in Illinois, and when is there a recount?
There is no automatic recount. A candidate who received at least 95 percent of the winner vote total may file a discovery petition within 5 days of the canvass at the candidate expense, and the examination does not change the canvass results.
Q. How long is there to contest an election in Illinois?
A contest must be filed within 15 days after the official announcement of the results.
Sources
- Vote.org, Illinois Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/illinois/
- NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
- NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
- NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
- Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
- NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines
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