Sept. 1, 2021 - The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners thanks Commissioner Jonathan T. Swain for his over five years of service to the voters of Chicago. Commissioner Swain joined the Board in January 2016, and his replacement will be appointed by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
On November 3, 2020, the Chicago Board of Elections will utilize the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, as an Election Day Voting Super Site for the first time in the arena’s history. In partnership with the United Center, the Chicago Board of Elections is expanding safe and accessible voting options and designating the United Center as an additional option for Chicago voters. The site will be open for in-person voting and use of a Vote By Mail ballot drop box only from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.
On November 3, 2020, the Chicago Board of Elections will have drop boxes for Chicago voters to submit their Vote By Mail Ballot Return Envelopes at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, and Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicgao White Sox. Both drop boxes will be open only from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day and only for use by Vote By Mail Voters
Feb. 25, 2020 - The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and Mikva Challenge are co-sponsoring the #VoteAt17 Social Media Contest with a $500 1st Prize. The goal of the contest to encourage creative peer-to-peer social-media postings that will inform young U.S. citizens that under state laws, 17-year-olds are eligible to vote in Illinois at the March 17 Primary as long as they turn 18 on or before Nov. 3, 2020. The contest (open to 14-19-year-olds who live in Chicago or attend a school in Chicago) is designed to encourage creative and informative postings on Twitter and Instagram by March 14.
Feb. 19, 2020 - Chicago Voters may begin using in-person Early Voting on Wed., Feb. 19 only at the new Loop Super Site for Early Voting & Registration at Clark & Lake – 191 N. Clark St. The Loop Super Site will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On March 2, Early Voting for the March 17 Primary Election will expand to include 50 ward sites throughout the city, in addition to the Loop Super Site.
Nov. 24, 2019 - The Chicago Election Board is increasing pay again for Election Judges in an effort to recruit full panels for every precinct and reward poll workers for their service. New election judges who complete training and then serve on March 17, 2020 at the Primary will be paid $230. Previously, pay for first-time training and service on Election Day was $200 at the Nov. 2018 and Feb. 2019 elections; $170 at the March 2018 Primary.
April 1, 2019 - The April 2, 2019 Run-Off Elections will decide one-on-one contests for Mayor, City Treasurer and the Alderman in 15 of the city’s 50 Wards. Similar to February, the April 2 Run-Offs are non-partisan elections. Only the first- and second-place candidates appear on the ballots from the contests where no candidate received the majority of the votes on February 26. Polling places will be open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in each of the city’s 2,069 precincts.
March 27, 2019 - On April 2, voters in 18 Chicago precincts will be casting ballots at different polling places than they used at the Feb. 26 Election.
March 18, 2019 - Early Voting begins Mon., March 18 at 51 locations in Chicago, and each site also will offer voter-registration services. Every site will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From Mon., March 25 through Fri., March 29, all ward sites and the Loop Super Site will offer extended hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Feb. 11, 2019 - Early Voting begins Mon., Feb. 11 at 51 locations in Chicago, and each site also will offer voter-registration services. Every site will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 24, 2019 - Early Voting for Chicago voters will start Tues., Jan. 29, 2019 at the Loop Super Site for Early Voting at 175 W. Washington St. On Feb. 11, the Early Voting program will expand to the 50 ward sites.
Nov. 16, 2018 - Candidates will file nominating petitions and related paperwork with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners at 69 W. Washington St., Lower Level, from Mon., Nov. 19 through Mon., Nov. 26. This is one of the first steps for candidates to begin to qualify for the ballots for the Feb. 26, 2019 Municipal Elections for Mayor, City Clerk and City Treasurer of Chicago and Alderman in each of the city's 50 wards.
Nov. 5, 2018 - Voters will select candidates in federal, state and local contests and decide advisory and binding referenda at the Nov. 6, 2018 Midterm Election.
Oct. 22, 2018 - In-person Early Voting and Registration Services are available for Chicago voters at 51 locations across the city now through Nov. 5.
Sept. 27, 2018 - In-person Early Voting for Chicago voters for the Nov. 6 Election began Thursday only at the new Loop Super Site for Early Voting, 175 W. Washington St.
The Loop Super Site, which also offers voter registration, will be open:
- Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and
- Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sept. 20, 2018 - Chicago Election Board Chairwoman Marisel A. Hernandez on Wednesday encouraged Chicagoans to sign up to serve as Judges of Election to help staff the city’s precinct polling places at the Nov. 6 General Election, particularly in areas on the city’s North Side. Those who complete training and serve on election day will be paid $200. Learn more
here.
June 15, 2018 - This week, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing Ohio to continue cancelling voter registrations for inactivity after mail is returned as undeliverable. Chicago Election Board leaders noted that the city's voters will not be impacted by this ruling. Chicago's voter-record maintenance programs provide more safeguards and notifications. Additionally, Illinois laws allow for online registration, Grace Period Voter Registration and Election Day Registration and soon, Automatic Voter Registration, to capture more updates to voter records based on changes in records at other state agencies, such as new or updated driver's licenses and state IDs issued by the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.
March 21, 2018 - Recently, voters have raised questions regarding the municipal ID program known as "CityKey." This statement outlines: how state and federal laws require election authorities to accept municipal IDs while registering citizens, but those laws allow only U.S. citizens to register and vote. The penalties for non-citizens registering and voting include fine, arrest and deportation. Voter registration and records of participating in elections are public records and are available to federal immigration authorities.
Press Packet Materials from the Pre-Election Media Briefing
Election Overview - March 20, 2018 Midterm Primary Election
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete List of Polling Places
Chicago Voter Registration & Turnout History: 1942 to Present
March 5, 2018 - Early Voting begins Mon., March 5 at 51 locations in Chicago, and each site also will offer voter registration. Every site will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 19. From March 12-16, early evening hours also will be available at all 51 sites. Chicago voters may use any of the Early Voting sites in the city.
Feb. 26, 2018 - The Chicago Election Board announced Monday that poll workers are still needed to serve as Judges of Election and Election Coordinators at the Tues., March 20 Primary Election, with the greatest number of openings in precincts on the city’s North Side. US citizens who are registered to vote in Cook County may apply now at: www.chipollworker.com.
Feb. 5, 2018 - Early Voting at the new Loop Super Site at 16 W. Adams will begin on or about Feb. 21, sooner if possible, depending on how soon the balloting systems will be ready. Traditional Early Voting at 51 sites across the city will begin at its regular schedule (15 days before Election Day) from March 5 through March 19.
Sept. 29, 2017 - Candidates planning to run for office in 2018 are currently circulating petitions. Here is a list of resources candidates and campaigns can access through the Chicago Election Board.
Sept. 26, 2017 - It's National Voter Registration Day, and the Chicago Election Board is reminding all voters that there is no ""Automatic" voter registration" just yet. Check your voter status online, and if you need to update your registration, you may do so online, with a mail-in form or in person at our offices. Although "automatic voter registration" was recently signed into law, key Illinois agencies do not expect that system to be operating fully until January 2019.
August 28, 2017 - Under a new law signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday, Illinois became the tenth state with Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). Now, applications from US citizens for standard state driver’s licenses and state ID cards will double as applications to register to vote for the first time or update their addresses if the applicants have moved.
April 20, 2017 - The Chicago Election Board has entered a settlement agreement after a 10-month joint effort with the U.S. Justice Department and Chicago-based Equip for Equality to evaluate the physical accessibility of polling places and Early Voting sites. The Board anticipates that several hundred precinct polling sites will need some forms of permanent or temporary modifications or will need to be re-located.
Election Board news release Signed Settlement Agreement between Election Board and Department of Justice
Department of Justice news release
Voting Equipment Mini-Expo: April 13, 2017
The Chicago Election Board hosted a mini-expo of voting equipment vendors to demonstrate some of the newer balloting and tabulation technologies that have emerged since the city and county acquired voting equipment in 2005. This event was a follow-up to an earlier expo on Feb. 14 that was co-hosted by the Chicago Election Board and the Cook County Clerk's Office. This expo was structured differently from the earlier event so that each vendor could provide a 30-minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes or more of questions from members of the audience. The goal of this event was for every participant to be able to receive the benefit of every question asked. Videos of the expo presentations, as well as the public question-and-answer sessions, are available here:
1. Video of Expo Introduction and Presentation by Clear Ballot
2. Video of Presentation by Hart Intercivic
3. Video of Presentation by Election Systems & Software (ES&S)
4. Video of Presentation by Dominion Voting Systems
Feb. 27, 2017 - Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tues., Feb. 28 but only for voters in Chicago's 4th Ward to elect the Alderman of that ward for the remaining two years of the 2015-2019 term. If one of the five candidates on the ballot receives more than half the votes on Feb. 28, that candidate will be elected. If no candidate receives more than half the votes, a run-off between the two candidates who receive the most votes on Feb. 28 will be conducted on April 4. This election is required because the previous alderman resigned in early 2016, less than a year into the current four-year term.
Press Packet Materials from the Pre-Election Media Briefing
Election Overview - November 8, 2016 Presidential Election
Accessibility / Services for Voters with Disabilities at All Polling Places
Election Day Registration
Candidate List
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete List of Polling Places for all 2,069 Chicago Precincts
Chicago Voter Registration & Turnout History: 1942 to Present
Oct. 10, 2016 - Chicago Election Board officials opened their new annex, the Loop Super Site for Early Voting and Registration, at 15 W. Washington St., a location designed to handle three times as many voters downtown, particularly during peak periods in the last days before Election Day.
July 18, 2016 - A private organization called the Voter Participation Center (VPC) is sending millions of letters to prospective voters throughout the United States, but some recipients are not eligible because they are too young or not yet citizens. Still other recipients are already registered to vote. And in some cases, recipients have reported the solicitations were addressed to their deceased relatives. While some recipients need to register and will find these forms helpful, voters who are unsure whether they already are registered are advised to
check their registration status online here.
June 2, 2016 - College Park, MD - Chicago Election Board Executive Director spoke on best practices in providing language services at an Election Assistance Commission forum of election administrators and voting-rights activists. Gough talked of being inspired by Mayor Harold Washington to work with community organizations year-round, not just at election time. Gough also detailed how the Election Board works to exceed the mandates for translating ballots and providing language assistance in Spanish, Chinese and Hindi, while also providing voter information in Polish and Korean.
Feb. 29, 2016 - Chicago - Early Voting begins Mon., Feb. 29 at 51 locations in Chicago, and each site also will offer voter registration. Every site will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fourteen of these sites also will be open on Sun., March 6, weeknights March 7 through March 11, Sun., March 13 and Mon., March 14.
Feb. 17, 2016 - Chicago - For those who missed the chance to register online or by mail, voter registration is available in-person through Election Day, but with two important differences: you must be ready to vote during the same visit, and you must present two forms of ID, one of which shows your current address. Services available at Election Board Feb. 17-Feb. 28, then at various Early Voting sites from Feb. 29-March 14, then on Election Day only at the polling place assigned to your home precinct.
Feb. 12, 2016 - Chicago - Voters have until 11:59 p.m. on Tues., Feb. 16 to use online or mail-in registration systems to be eligible to cast a ballot in the March Primary. The Board also will be open through midnight to accept any registrations. After Feb. 16, voters must use in-person registration, which requires voting during that same visit after presenting two forms of ID, at least one of which shows the voter's current address. In-person registration will continue throughout Early Voting. Any voter who waits until Election Day (March 15) must go to the polling place assigned to that voter's home precinct to use in-person registration.
Sept. 22, 2015 - Chicago - In celebration of National Voter Registration Day, Chicago Election Board officials discussed various initiatives that will help engage more young voters in advance of the 2016 elections, including on-line registration, election-day registration, a mobile platform for web services, ongoing leadership in the hiring of young poll workers, and civics education.
May 19, 2015 - Chicago - The Chicago Election Board salutes the life and service of long-time Secretary/Commissioner Richard A. Cowen.
Press Packet Materials from the Pre-Election Media Briefing
March 23, 2015 - Chicago - Early Voting in advance of the April 7 Supplementary (Run-Off) Elections opens at 51 Chicago sites. Each will offer voter-registration services.
March 19, 2015 - Chicago - Have complaints about campaign phone calls or campaign signs? Here's what you may do.
March 6, 2015 - Chicago - Election Board must receive online or mailed-in applications by March 10 in order for those voters to be eligible to vote in person on Election Day in their precinct polling place. Those already registered at their current addresses need not act. If voters need to register or update their records after March 10, voters may use Grace Period registration.
Feb. 9, 2015 - Chicago - Early Voting opens for the Feb. 24, 2015 Municipal Election.
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