PDF of list of documentation

A printable PDF list of documentation
needed to register to vote in Illinois.

Chapter 3 — Registering To Vote

E. Documentation Needed To Register To Vote

1. First Time Registration.

Establish Voter's Identity
Establish Voter's Current Address
Illinois Driver's License
A copy of a current utility bill
Illinois State ID
A copy of a current bank statement
The last four numbers of the voter's Social Security number
A copy of a current paycheck
 
A copy of a current government check;
 
Other federal, State, or local government document that shows the person's name and address
A photo identification issued by a college or university accompanied by:
Either a copy of the applicant's contract or lease for a residence or any postmarked mail delivered to the applicant at his or her current residence address postmarked within thirty (30) days of registration.

Note that except for the college ID and the social security number, the ID needed to establish identity are government issued, photo IDs where citizenship has already been established.

Also, the identification used to prove current address is dated to show both that the registering voter meets the thirty (30) day residency requirement and establishes a current address.

2. Other Identification Not Listed

An Election Judge does have limited latitude to accept other forms of identification.

Election Judges have accepted the following identification:

Establish Voter's Identity
Establish Voter's Current Address
A valid and current US passport.
Bank statements or utility bills online,
that show the current address.
A valid and current US passport card.
An envelope addressed to the person registering to vote postmarked within the last thirty (30) days, government correspondence is preferred.
The Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card
A current property tax statement
Identification that meets Real ID requirements.
The first page of a residential rental agreement,
where Election Day is within the lease date.
US Military ID
Current driver's insurance card.

The final decision on whether to accept these additional IDs is up to the Election Judge.

If the above IDs are not accepted, the poll watcher may challenge and request for a majority vote of election judges.

If a poll watcher believes that a Election Judge is accepting, let's just say... "less than adequate" identification, the poll watcher can challenge it. Ask for a panel of three judges (one from a different party than the other two) to review the decision. Then, accept the decision.

3. Change of Address, Change of Name, Change of Signature.

Updating an address, a signature, or a change of name will require the same documentation listed above, but also allows:

Establish Voter's Identity
Establish Voter's Current Address
A copy of a current and valid photo identification
 
Social Security card
 
Employee or identification card
 
Civic, union or professional association membership card
 

4. Homeless Voters.

A homeless or unhoused person has the same requirements for providing identification as any other person registering to vote in regard to identification proving identity (examples being: Driver's License, State ID, the last four numbers of the voter's Social Security number, etc.).

BUT instead of showing proof of a current address, the homeless or unhouse person must provide proof of a mailing address.

There is no time requirement for the mailing address as there is for a resident's current address, so an envelope postmarked earlier than thirty (30) days before an election or a government letter dated more than thirty (30) days before Election Day is still acceptable.

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