Illinois Primary 2018
What’s a primary election?
Full list of acceptable ID for registering in person in Illinois.
In a primary election, each political party chooses which candidate will represent them in the general election in November. In Illinois, the primary is held in March — seven months prior to the general election.
When is it?
Tuesday, March 20th, 2018 (early voting March 5th — 19th).
What am I voting for?
You will decide between a range of candidates seeking their party’s nomination for local, state, and federal office. You will also vote for candidates running for positions in their party’s political organization. This includes state committeemen and committeewoman for Democrats (Republicans elect their state central committeemen at the county conventions), and local precinct committeemen and committeepersons for both parties.
How do I vote?
To vote in a primary, you must be registered to vote. Visit the Illinois State Board of Elections to learn more about the upcoming election and how to register to vote. You can also find out more about voting in your area from your county clerk’s office — your local election authority.
Why I should care?
The primary is your opportunity to help shape your political party. You will choose which candidates you think should represent your party in the general election. Your vote will also help steer the direction of your party by deciding which officers will lead your party’s state and local organization.
Most importantly, in many areas the primary election is the general election. This is because some districts hold such a strong majority in favor of one party the other party’s candidate is either nonexistent or very unlikely to win in the general election. In Illinois this can often be the case. Voting in the primary then becomes your only effective way to change your government.
What if I’m an Independent?
Good news. Illinois has an open primary system. This means that you may vote without having to register as a member of any political party. When you vote — either in your local polling place or through the mail — you will have to choose which party’s primary you’d like to vote for. Though there is a public record of which party’s ballot you pull, there is no record of which candidates you vote for, nor is there a record of how you vote in the general election.
You can also request a non-partisan ballot which will just include any ballot measures or referenda that are on the primary ballot in your district.
What’s on my primary ballot?
Your primary ballot will include a lot of different offices at the federal, state, regional, and local levels. Some will be more familiar to you than others. To learn more about a specific office on your ballot, check out this very handy list we made that clearly describes all the offices you’ll see.
Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of the offices you’ll see on March 20, 2018:
Federal offices
U.S. representative
State offices
Governor & lieutenant governor (on the same ticket)
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Comptroller
Treasurer
Regional and county offices:
State representative
State senator (depending on your district)
Regional superintendent of schools
Appellate and circuit-court judges
County clerk
County treasurer
County sheriff
Other county government positions depending on your location
Your primary ballot may also include local ballot measures or referenda.
How & where do I vote in the primary?
In Illinois you can vote in person at your local polling place on election day (March 20, 2018) or during the early voting period (March 5–19, 2018) at various locations designated by your local election authority. Early voting is open to everyone. Find your local polling place on your voter registration card, or look it up at your local election authority.
Can I vote by mail?
You can also vote by mail — no excuses required. All you have to do is request a mail-in ballot. Read the instructions as dates differ for those inside of and outside of the United States.
Overseas voters and military personnel and their families can submit their completed mail-in ballots from February 3 up until election day, March 20, 2018. All others can submit their completed mail-in ballot starting February 8 until March 20, 2018. If you’ve waited until the last minute, note that your ballot must be postmarked March 20, and must be received by the local election authority within fourteen days of the election. You can also designate someone to mail your ballot directly to your election authority for you. To do so, sign the affidavit on the ballot envelope.
What do I need to vote?
In most cases you do not have to show any ID to vote in Illinois. There are, however, two main exceptions. If you did not provide documents proving your identity and residence when you first registered to vote, you will be asked to provide those documents at your polling place. Also, you are not eligible to vote by mail until you have provided those documents.
The only other time you may be asked to show ID is if an election judge challenges your qualifications. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections’ Guide for Pollwatchers, an election judge may challenge a voter’s eligibility if they suspect that:
- You no longer live at your registered address
- You are not the same person that’s registered on card
- You’ve already voted
- You are not registered to vote
A majority of election judges present must agree to the challenge. If they do, you will be given a provisional ballot. If they cannot agree, then you will be free to vote with a regular ballot.
Additional resources:
Ballotpedia Illinois: “A hub for state political coverage of elections, policies, and more.”
BallotReady: “Every candidate and referendum, explained.”
The Chicago Sun Times’ Primary Voting Guide: “This guide includes all area races that have contested primaries for Democrats, Republicans or both major parties.”
TimeOut Chicago’s 2018 Primary Guide “Everything you need to know about March’s Illinois Primary Election”
Read more:
What Does the Constitution Actually Say About Voting Rights — The Atlantic
