Illinois residents will soon vote in the 2024 primaries. Know these key election dates

Meredith Howard
·3 min read

The 2024 Illinois primary election is coming up, and you may be wondering when you can get out and early vote or how to check your voter registration.

Southwestern Illinois voters will select their choices for a variety of political offices this year, including U.S. president and vice president, U.S. representatives, state senators, metro-east county officials and more.

Illinois is one of 46 states to offer early in-person voting to all voters, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire do not offer general early voting, but may give exceptions to absentee voters, the NCSL reports.

The 2024 primary election in Illinois will see a 12th Congressional District race between incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and former state senator Darren Bailey. Madison County will see several contested races in the Republican primary, including for circuit clerk, Madison County board chairperson and more.

The News-Democrat is looking for feedback from readers about what issues are important to them and what questions we should ask political candidates in the metro-east. You can fill out our survey online.

Here’s what to know about voter registration deadlines and early voting this year in Illinois.

Important Illinois 2024 election dates

Here’s what to know ahead of the Tuesday, March 19 primary election in Illinois:

  • Thursday, Feb. 8: Early voting begins; schedules vary by location

  • Tuesday, Feb. 20: Deadline to postmark a paper voter registration application

  • Sunday, March 3: Online voter registration deadline

  • Thursday, March 14: Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot (though officials recommend requesting one early)

  • Tuesday, March 19: General primary election. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before this date and arrive by Tuesday, April 2 to be counted.

Here’s what to know about the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election in Illinois:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 8: Last day to postmark a paper voter registration application

  • Wednesday, Oct. 9: First day for grace period registration and voting at the office of the election authority or at a location designated for this purpose by an election authority

  • Sunday, Oct. 20: Last day for online voter registration

  • Monday, Oct. 21: Early voting at permanent polling places other than the office of the election authority begins; schedules vary by location

  • Thursday, Oct. 31: Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot (though officials recommend requesting one early)

  • Tuesday, Nov. 5: General election. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before this date and arrive by Tuesday, Nov. 19 to be counted.

It’s important to note Illinois offers grace period voter registration, meaning eligible residents can go in person to a polling place on Election Day, register and vote that day.

You can check your voter registration status online through the Illinois State Board of Elections.