2026 Midterm General Election

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

(2026 Midterm Primary Election was Tuesday, March 17, 2026)

Important Midterm Dates

  • August 5, 2026: Vote By Mail applications open.

  • September 24, 2026: Chicago Board of Elections can start sending Vote By Mail ballots.

  • September 24, 2026: Early Voting begins at the New Downtown Voting Supersite (137 S. State St.) and CBOE Offices (69 W. Washington)

  • October 6, 2026: Last day to submit paper voter registration forms (online and in-person registration still open).

  • October 7, 2026: First day of Same-Day Registration.

  • October 18, 2026: Last day to register to vote online at ova.elections.il.gov (in-person registration open through election day).

  • October 19, 2026: 50 Ward Early Voting begins in Chicago.

  • October 29, 2026: Vote By Mail application deadline.

  • November 3, 2026: Midterm General Election. Vote By Mail ballots returned to the Chicago Board of Elections must be postmarked before or on Election Day.



Voter Resources

Offices on the Ballot

Chicago Election Day Voting

For Election Day, voters may choose to vote in one of the following ways:

Complete Chicago election day voting information HERE.

Chicago Early Voting/Vote Center

September 24, 2026 - Downtown Chicago Early Voting begins at the New Downtown Voting Supersite (137 S. State St.) and Chicago Board of Elections Offices (69 W. Washington St. - 6th Floor) - subject to change

October 19, 2026 - 50 Ward Early Voting begins

  • Any voter in Chicago can vote at any Early Voting/Vote Center site, no matter where they live in the city. Voters can choose whatever voting site is most convenient for them, including on Election Day.

  • All Early Voting/Vote Center locations are ADA-compliant and fully accessible to voters with disabilities. 

  • Same Day Registration is available at all Early Voting/Vote Center sites, including 51 sites on Election Day. You will need two forms of ID, one with your current address - click here for acceptable forms of ID.

  • Early voters may choose to vote in one of 12 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, Tagalog, Gujarati, Urdu, Arabic, Ukrainian, and Russian. 

Complete Chicago early voting information HERE.

Chicago Vote By Mail

Complete Chicago vote by mail information HERE.

Secure dropbox locations for Vote By Mail Ballots are located and open during early voting hours.


Voting FAQ

Am I registered to vote at my current address? Check here.
¿Estoy registrado para votar en mi dirección actual? Chequea aquí.

I need to register to vote! Help? Register online or print and mail.
¡Necesito registrarme para votar! ¿Ayuda? Regístrese en línea o imprima y envíe por correo.

I moved. Can I change my address? Yes - do so here.
Me mudé. ¿Puedo cambiar mi dirección? ¡Sí! Cambiar dirección aquí.

Where do I apply to vote by mail? Applications can be found here!
¿Dónde solicito votar por correo? ¡Las aplicaciones se pueden encontrar aquí!

Who am I voting for? Check out ballotready.org.
¿Por quién voy a votar? Visite ballotready.org.