Early voting begins in Illinois Thursday

SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) - Early voting begins across Illinois in only a matter of days.

The primary date is not until March 19 but voters can start heading to the polls Thursday. Local elections officials also start sending out mail-in ballots.

Illinois State Board of Elections Spokesperson Matt Dietrich said early voting always begins 40 days before an election. Every local elections administrator, which is typically the county clerk, will have at least one early voting site.

In Illinois, any voter can vote by mail.

Dietrich said voters should go to their county clerk’s website to get an absentee ballot application. The last day to request on is March 14.

Voters can also sign up to receive an absentee ballot automatically for every election.

Absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day, March 19. They can arrive at the clerk’s office up to two weeks after election day.

If something happens to a voter’s absentee ballot, they should call their clerk’s office and get a new one or arrange to vote in person.

Dietrich said elections officials work hard to make sure voting by mail is safe. They do numerous checks. There also have not been noticeable or substantial cases of voter fraud in Illinois related to absentee voting.

Illinois residents who are not registered to vote can do so online or at the polls. They have until March 3 to register online. They can do it at the polls through election day.

Dietrich said people need two forms of ID to register to vote. One must have their current address. Once registered, voters do not need an ID to vote.

Dietrich said every clerk does early voting a little differently. Voters should check their clerk’s website for details on hours and locations.