2026 Primary Dates

Tuesday, 17 March 2026

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

Begin: Voter Registration, 2 days after the previous election: Thursday, April 3, 2025. 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 previous election: Thursday, April 3, 2025. 10 ILCS 5/4-7
10 ILCS 5/5-17
10 ILCS 5/6-31
Begin: Application for Vote by Mail, 90 days before Primary: Wednesday, December 17, 2025. 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 committeeman maps of changes to precinct boundaries, 90 days before Primary: Wednesday, December 17, 2025. 10 ILCS 5/11-6
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 Primary: Friday, January 16, 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 and direct recording electronic equipment or 42 days before the Primary at the earliest: Tuesday, February 3, 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 tabulator & direct vote recording system equipment can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, February 5, 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, February 5, 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, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
Begin: Public testing of back-up equipment, TBD, immediately before tabulators can be use in tabulating ballots: Thursday, February 5, 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, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
Begin: In-person early voting at office of the Election Authority, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at the office of the Election Authority, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Begin: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at temporary branch polling places, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 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 Primary: Thursday, February 5, 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 Primary: Thursday, February 5, 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 Primary: Thursday, February 5, 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 Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/17-23(5)
Vote by Mail ballots mailed to voter, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-4
Begin: Vote by Mail Election Judge panels, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-8(g)
Authorization for poll watcher presence at Vote by Mail election judge panels, 40 days before Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-8(h)
10 ILCS 5/19-10
10 ILCS 5/20-10
Vote by Mail ballots mailed to voter, 40 days before the Primary: Thursday, February 5, 2026 10 ILCS 5/19-4
End: Voter registration at the County Clerk's office
in counties having a population of 500,000 or more
if precinct registration is conducted, 		35 days before Primary: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 10 ILCS 5/5-5
Election Authority issues public notice to elderly and disabled voters of the availability of registration and voting aids and on methods of voting, 30 days before Primary: Sunday, February 15, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/7-15
Election Authority gives written notice of central counting facility workers party affiliation is sent to county chair of the political party, 30 days before the Primary: Sunday, February 15, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24A-11
10 ILCS 5/24B-11
10 ILCS 5/24C-13(b)
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 the Primary: Wednesday, February 25, 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 Primary: Thursday, February 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-50
10 ILCS 5/5-50
10 ILCS 5/6-100
Ends: Voter registration at EOB, 27 days before Primary: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 10 ILCS 5/4-6
10 ILCS 5/5-5
10 ILCS 5/6-29
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 February 20, 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 Primary: 		Monday, February 23, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(a)
End: Public notice of election in multiple newspapers, 20 days before Primary: Wednesday, February 25, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/7-15
Continue: Weekly public notice of Early Voting date, time, and location by Election Authority, 15 days before Primary Monday, March 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-25(a)
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at permanent polling place, 15 days before Primary: Monday, March 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Authorization of poll watcher for early voting at temporary branch polling places, 15 days before Primary: Monday, March 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(e)
10 ILCS 5/19A-60
Begin: In-person early voting at permanent polling places, 15 days before Primary: Monday, March 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15(b)
Begin: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, 15 days before Primary: Monday, March 2, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(b)
Begin: Grace Period Registration & Grace Period Voting, 15 days before Primary Monday, March 2, 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 Primary Tuesday, March 3, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-13
Continue: Weekly public notice of Early Voting date, time, and location by Election Authority, 8 days before Primary Monday, March 9, 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 the Primary: Tuesday, March 10, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
10 ILCS 5/24B-9
Begin: On-campus voting, 6 days before Primary: Wednesday, March 11, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/1-12(a)
End: Public testing of tabulators & direct recording electronic equipment, 5 days before the Primary: Thursday, March 12, 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 the Primary.) 		5 days before the Primary Thursday, March 12, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-2
(10 ILCS 5/19-13)
End: On-campus voting, EOB, 4 days before Primary: Friday, March 13, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/1-12(a)
Begin: Voting in care facilities, 4 days before Primary: Friday, March 13, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-12.2
Earliest electronic voting machine keys can be delivered to precinct in a sealed envelope, the Saturday before the Primary: 12PM, Saturday, March 14, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
End: Voting in care facilities, the day before Primary: Monday, March 16, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-12.2
End: Testing of voting machines, the day before the Primary: Monday, March 16, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
End: In-person early voting at permanent polling places, the day before Primary: Monday, March 16, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-15(b)
End: In-person early voting at temporary branch polling places, the day before Primary: Monday, March 16, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19A-20(b)
The latest an electronic voting machine keys can be delivered to precinct in a sealed envelope, one hour before the polls open on the day of the Primary: 5AM, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/24-13
Primary   Tuesday, March 17, 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 the Primary, EOB Primary Day Tuesday, March 17, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/19-13
Begin: Voter Registration, 2 days after Primary: Thursday, March 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/4-6
10 ILCS 5/5-5
10 ILCS 5/5-5
Election Authority shall transmit to the State Board of Elections voter information for those voting a Provisional Ballot, 2 days after Primary: Thursday, March 19, 2026. 10 ILCS 5/18A-15(d)
End: Vote by Mail Election Judge panels, 14 days after Primary: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 10 ILCS 5/19-8(g)
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 Primary: Saturday, May 16, 2026 10 ILCS 5/4-11
10 ILCS 5/5-29
10 ILCS 5/6-60
▲
▼