2026 General Election Dates

03 November 2026

NOTE: This list of dates is of particular interest to poll watchers and does not include dates for candidate nominating petitions or election finance deadlines.

Begin: Voter Registration, 2 days after the Primary: Thursday, March 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-6
10 ILCS 5/5-5
10 ILCS 5/6-50
Authorization of poll watchers at voter registration sites, 2 days after the Primary: Thursday, March 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-7
10 ILCS 5/5-17
10 ILCS 5/6-31
Election Authority provides of list of registered voters to the party chair, with an indication of the political party chosen in the primary, 60 days after the Primary: Saturday, May 16, 2026 10 ILCS 5/4-11
10 ILCS 5/5-29
10 ILCS 5/60-6
Begin: Application for vote by mail, 90 days before Election Day: Wednesday, August 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-2
Election Authority publishes on Election Authority website the PDF with election boundaries and immediately distributes to party county chairs & effected precinct committeemen maps of changes to precinct boundaries, 90 days before Election Day: Wednesday, August 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/11-6
State Board of Elections provides written guidance to Election Authorities on requirements for voting, curbside voting, early voting, and vote by mail, 90 days before Election Day: Wednesday, August 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/1A-65
Election Authority issues public notice to elderly and disabled voters of the availability of registration and voting aids and on methods of voting, 60 days before Election Day: Friday, September 4, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/12-1
Begin: Notification of public testing of tabulators & direct recording electronic equipment, minimum 48 hours before public testing of tabulators or 42 days before Election Day at the earliest: Tuesday, September 22, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24C-9
Begin: Public testing of tabulators and direct vote recording system equipment, TBD, immediately before tabulators & direct vote recording system equipment can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24C-9
Begin: Public testing of in-precinct tabulators, TBD, immediately before tabulators can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
Begin: Public testing of other than in-precinct tabulators, TBD, immediately before tabulators can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
Begin: Public testing of back-up equipment, TBD, immediately before tabulators & direct vote recording system equipment can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24C-9
Begin: Public testing of voting machines, TBD, before use of voting machines: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
Begin: In-person early voting at office of the Election Authority, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at the office of the Election Authority, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Begin: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at temporary branch polling places, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-60
10 ILCS 5/19A-20
The election authority shall give written notice of the times when, and the place or places where, the voting machines will be prepared for the election, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
The election authority shall state the times when, and the place or places where, the voting machines will be prepared for the election, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
Deadline for organizations (not political parties or candidates) to apply with the local election authority for poll watcher credentials, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/17-23(3)
Deadline for nonpartisan civic organizations within the county or political subdivision to register with the local election authority for poll watcher credentials, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/17-23(3.5)
Deadline for any organized group of proponents or opponents of a ballot proposition to register with the local election authority for poll watcher credentials, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026.. 10 ILCS 5/17-23(5)
Vote by Mail ballots mailed to voter, 40 days before Election Day Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-4
Begin: Vote by Mail Election Judge panels, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-8(g)
Authorization for poll watcher presence at Vote by Mail election judge panels, 40 days before Election Day: Thursday, September 24, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-8(h)
10 ILCS 5/19-10
10 ILCS 5/20-10
End: Voter registration County Clerk's office
in counties having a population of 500,000 or more
if precinct registration is conducted, 		35 days before Election Day: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 10 ILCS 5/5-5
Begin public notice of election in multiple newspapers, 30 days before Election Day: Sunday, October 4, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/12-1
Election Authority gives written notice of central counting facility workers party affiliation is sent to county chair of the political party, 30 days before Election Day: Sunday, October 4, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-11
10 ILCS 5/24B-11
10 ILCS 5/24C-13(b)
Grace Period Registration & Voting begins in-person at the office of the Election Authority, 28 days before Election Day, Thursday, October 8, 2026 10 ILCS 5/4-50
10 ILCS 5/5-50
10 ILCS 5/6-100
Ends: Voter registration at EOB, 27 days before Election Day Wednesday, October 7, 2026 10 ILCS 5/4-6
10 ILCS 5/5-5
10 ILCS 5/6-29
Vote by Mail ballots mailed or delivered, 25 days before Consolidated Election Day Friday October 9, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-4
Election Authority posts schedule of Early Voting dates, time at Early Voting polling place location[s], 10 days before Early Voting begins or 25 days before Primary: Friday October 9, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(b)
Begin: Weekly public notice of Early Voting date, time, and location by Election Authority, one week before Early Voting begins
or 22 days before Election Day: 		Monday, October 12, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(a)
Deadline for chair of each political party to respond to central counting facility workers notice and approve or disapprove of workers from their party, 10 after notice or 20 days before Election Day: Wednesday, October 14, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-11
10 ILCS 5/24B-11
10 ILCS 5/24C-13(b)
End: Public notice of election in multiple newspapers, 20 days before Election Day: Wednesday, October 14, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/12-1
Continue: Weekly public notice of Early Voting date, time, and location by Election Authority, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(a)
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at permanent polling place, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at temporary branch polling places, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(e)
10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Begin: In-person early voting at permanent polling places, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15(b)
Begin: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(b)
Begin: Grace Period Registration & Grace Period Voting, 15 days before Election Day: Monday, October 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-50
10 ILCS 5/5-50
10 ILCS 5/6-100
Begins: Application for current vote by mail ballot, in-person, at office of the Election Authority for representative of voter admitted to a care facility or hospitalized within 14 days of Primary. 14 days before Election Day Tuesday, October 20, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-13
Continue: Weekly public notice of Early Voting date, time, and location by Election Authority, 8 days before Election Day: Monday, October 26, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(a)
End: Notification of public testing of tabulators & direct recording electronic equipment, minimum 48 hours before public testing of tabulators or 7 days before Election Day: Tuesday, October 27, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
Begin: On-campus voting, 6 days before Election Day: Wednesday, October 28, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/1-12(a)
End: Public testing of tabulators & direct recording electronic equipment, 5 days before the Election Day: Thursday, October 29, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24C-9
Application for current vote by mail ballot ends,
(except for voters admitted to a care facility or hospitalized within 14 days of Election Day.) 		5 days before Election Day: Thursday, October 29, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-2
(10 ILCS 5/19-13)
Begin: Voting in care facilities, 4 days before Election Day: Friday, October 30, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-12.2
End: On-campus voting, EOB, 4 days before Election Day: Friday, October 30, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/1-12(a)
The earliest an electronic voting machine key can be delivered to precinct in a sealed envelope, the Saturday before the Election: 12PM, Saturday, October 31, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
End: In-person early voting, the day before Election Day: Monday, November 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15
End: Voting in care facilities, the day before Election Day: Monday, November 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-12.2
End: Testing of voting machines, the day before Election Day: Monday, November 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
End: In-person early voting at permanent polling places, the day before Election Day: Monday, November 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15(b)
End: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, the day before Election Day: Monday, November 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(b)
The latest an electronic voting machine key can be delivered to precinct in a sealed envelope, one hour before the polls open on the day of the Election: 5AM, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
Election Day,   Tuesday, November 3, 2026.  
Ends: Application for current vote by mail ballot, in-person, at office of the Election Authority for representative of voter admitted to a care facility or hospitalized within 14 days of Election Day, EOB Election Day; Tuesday, November 3, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-13
Begin: Voter Registration, 2 days after Election Day: Thursday, November 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-6
10 ILCS 5/5-5
10 ILCS 5/6-50
Election Authority shall transmit to the State Board of Elections voter information for those voting a Provisional Ballot, 2 days after Election Day: Thursday, November 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/18A-15(d)
End: Vote by Mail panels, 14 days after Election Day: Tuesday, November 17, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-8(g)
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