Starting in 2009, an excuse was no longer necessary to be able to vote by mail, and in 2016, Illinois stopped using the term “absentee ballot.” “Absentee” is now the same as “Vote-by-Mail.”

Voting by mail is available for all registered voters.

In 2022, the option of being put on a permanent vote-by-mail list became available. Voters can sign a permanent application that is on file in the election commission.

You may request a ballot from the election commission through March 14. No ballot will be mailed out after that date.

Once election staff or a bipartisan team of election judges receive your ballot, they will mark you in the poll books as having voted. Two judges, one Democrat and one Republican, will verify that the ballot envelope is sealed and confirm that the signature on the envelope matches the signature in the records. Once the ballot has been verified, it will be removed from the envelope and added to other verified Vote by Mail ballots. These ballots will then be run through a tabulator.

A bipartisan team must be present at all points in the processing.

After tabulation, ballots will be placed in a secure location in case they’re needed for future verification. The tabulators will not be closed and the vote totals/results will not be calculated until after the polls close on Election Day and the 14-day window following the election is complete so any ballots postmarked on Election Day can still be counted.

For Vote by Mail or other questions, go online to the Election Commission website or phone (309) 324-2300.