Chicago voters with accessibility issues may contact [email protected] for information on an accessible mail-in balloting option. Applications to use the accessible system may be submitted by email or by fax at 312-269-0626.

This new program allows voters who have accessibility issues that do not allow the voters to read and mark their ballots privately and independently to access and mark their ballots through an online system, and then print out their ballots and mail in those ballots. 

For more information on this program, write to [email protected]. Please note: this is NOT an online voting system. The ballots in this program must be printed out and mailed to the Election Board or delivered in a Ballot Return Envelope.

You may also fill out and download this application form and email it directly to [email protected]. Apply by early enough to ensure enough time to receive and return your ballot by Election Day. (The legal deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 30, but the Board strongly recommends applying sooner.)

For those who miss the deadline to apply to vote by mail, refer below to how to use Early Voting, or, on Election Day, vote at your local precinct polling place or open vote center from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Registered voters who are permanently disabled or incapacitated or are residents of a licensed nursing home or care facility may request an Affidavit and Application for Disabled Voter or Resident of Nursing Home or Care Facility, Form 504DVI.

Once certified, a voter with a Disabled Voter's Identification Card (Form DVI) will receive a Vote By Mail application automatically for all elections during the next five (5) years.

The DVI certification requires the signature of the applicant's physician and the date of the medical license. Once this certification has been completed, it should be returned to the Board of Elections, Vote By Mail Department, 69 West Washington Street, Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60602. Submit requests to the Vote By Mail Department at 312-269-7967. The DVI form is available here.

Hospitalized Voters
A registered voter who is hospitalized not more than 14 days before an election may request a Vote By Mail ballot.

(1) This application must be completed by the voter, the voter's attending physician and the voter's representative (a relative or another registered voter from the same precinct).
(2) The completed application may be submitted in person at 69 W Washington, 8th Floor or by email to [email protected]
(3) The voter's representative will be responsible for picking up the ballot at 69 W. Washington, 8th Floor, delivering the ballot to the voter, and also returning the voted ballot to 69 W. Washington, 8th Floor.
(4) If the voter's application form was submitted by email, the ORIGINAL signed and notarized application form must be submitted with the returned ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

By law, a Vote By Mail ballot cannot be submitted by email or fax.

In Chicago polling places, the Election Board offers various tools to help voters with different physical abilities:

Ballot Marker Grippers allow voters to easily hold the marking pens for paper ballots.

Large Ballot Viewers are magnifying lenses designed to enlarge the print on the paper ballots to assist voters who require assistance to read the names of offices, candidates and referenda.

Wheelchair accessible voting booths are available in each polling place. Voters who are unable to stand for long periods of time also may use this unit and a provided chair.

Audio Controller Unit and Audio Ballots in the touchscreen voting units allow a visually impaired voter to hear the balloting instructions, offices, candidates and referenda and allow them to make their choices and cast their ballot by use of a hand held controller unit and supplied headphones. This controller can also be affixed to the arm of a chair or wheelchair by using the Velcro straps attached to the unit.

Audio Visual Ballots on the touchscreen allow voters who may have difficulty moving their arms or dexterity issues to use the keypad and the headphones but also see the ballot being displayed on the screen.

Sip-and-Puff Devices on the touchscreen voting units can be used in conjunction with the audio controller. The sip and puff device will navigate the voter through the audio ballot.

Door Bells are offered outside entrances to polling places with heavy doors. When voters ring the bells, a judge of election will come and open the door for the voter.

Threshold Ramps are placed at polling places where the door threshold is such that a voter in a wheelchair may have difficulty entering. The threshold ramps will make for easier entry into the polling place.

An Information and Services Notice ("Need Help Voting?" sign, Form 25) is printed in large type. This Notice lists services and rules for voters who may receive assistance while voting. This Notice is to be posted on a wall in each polling place.

Alternate Entrance Signs, where needed, will be posted at polling places to direct voters with disabilities to the entrance that offers the easiest access.

Assisted Voting is available to those who designate a trusted family member or other friend to help the voter cast a ballot. An affidavit must be signed by the voter and the person assisting. The voter also may request the assistance of two judges of election, one from each major political party, to help the voter cast a ballot.

Curbside Voting is provided when voters file a request for assistance in cases where they are unable to gain access to their polling places because of structural features of the building. Every effort is made to use buildings that are fully accessible. However, some centralized voting sites are not fully accessible, and in other cases, owners of accessible buildings have not allowed their buildings to be used as polling places.

NOTE: By law, the Election Board must receive a request for curbside assistance no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day at 69 W. Washington St., Suite 600, Chicago IL 60602. By filing a Request for a Ballot by a Voter who is Unable to Enter the Polling Place (please include the voter's name, address, precinct, ward and polling place, the hour the voter expects to arrive, and, if available, a cell phone number), the voter is requesting that two (2) judges of election of opposite political parties bring a ballot to a location where forward motion toward the polling place can no longer be continued; but, in no case shall a ballot be delivered to the voter beyond 50 feet of the entrance to the building in which the polling place is located. At this location, an application for ballot must be completed by the voter and verified by the judges. The voter will be allowed to cast the ballot privately. The Board will notify the judges of election at the appropriate precinct polling places of requests filed at least one day before Election Day.

If the voter cannot file that request a day in advance, the voter may still go to the polling place on Election Day, and if that site is inaccessible, relay the request to alert the Judges of Election to make curbside voting available. If there are questions, the Judges of Election may refer to the Election Judge Handbook, and/or the Judges or Voters may call Election Central at 312-269-7870.

Designated Parking is provided at polling places thanks to the City of Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation, which helps assign temporary spaces for vehicles that display the placards for drivers with disabilities.

Before Election Day: Call 312-269-3259 or send an email to [email protected]
On Election Day: Election Central at 312-269-7870 with any questions