Chapter 9 – Assisted Voting

9.I. Nursing Homes & Other Long-Term Care Facilities

9.I.1. Assisted Voting in Care Facilities

As has been noted before, much of the need for voting assistance for disabled voters has been mitigated with vote by mail.

Even so, some voters who need assistance can request further assistance by election judges who will deliver a vote by mail ballot to a care facility.

For voters who are in hospitalized or in nursing homes or care facilities more than fourteen (14) days before the election, can apply for on-site voting if they apply at least five (5) days before the election.

One hundred twenty (120) days before the election, state will identify which care facilities are eligible for on-site assisted voting. The state will inform the election authority (i.e., the County Clerk's Office or the local Board of Elections) so that they can coordinate with the care facility management.



Note: The decision for assisted voting at a care facility is the decision of the voter, and the voter alone.

The management of the care facility may coordinate a vote by mail program and offer assistance in voting a vote by mail ballot.

Each voter is free to reject such assistance and request on-site voter assistance with their vote by mail ballot from two election judges (and a poll watcher).

Application for assistance must be made at least five (5) days before the election.

Grace Period voter registration, changes in voter registration, and Grace Period voting will also be available.

9.I.2. Requesting Voter Assistance At A Care Facility.

Requirements for requesting voter assistance at a care facility may vary depending up on which county or board of election commissioners facilitates your elections.

Some jurisdictions may require the Illinois Persons With Disability Identification Card.

Other jurisdictions require a county person with disabilities voter identification card or a residential care facility voter identification card for those who do not already have the Illinois Persons With Disability Identification Card.

Even other jurisdictions will have no further requirement than filling out a vote by mail application.

Contact your election authority (i.e., County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners) to find out the requirement in your jurisdiction.

See: Chapter 9, Assisted Voting for further information on voter assistance in the polling place."

9.I.2.a. Requirements for All Jurisdictions

What is rock solid consistent for all jurisdictions in Illinois is that it voter assistance is available to ALL registered voters who reside in a care facility.

AND if you are not a registered voter, you can register under Grace Period voting.

9.I.2.b. Date & Time

The request for assistance other than at a polling place must be made at least five (5) days before the election.

  • For the 2026 Primary Election, that is end of business, Thursday, March 12, 2026.
  • For the 2026 General Election, that is end of business, Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Voting at care facilities will be Friday through Monday immediately before the election.

  • For the 2026 Primary Election, that is Friday, March 13, 2026 through Monday, March 16, 2024.
  • For the 2026 General Election, that is Friday, October 30, 2026 through Monday, November 2, 2026.

The hours for each day will be between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

9.I.3. Persons With Disability Identification Cards

Before we discuss disability identification cards, there are some points to remember:

  • First

    A voter does not need a disability identification card if they are able to vote at a polling place.

    If a voter needs assistance at a polling place, the voter will be asked to sign an affidavit for assistance.

    A disability identification card can identify the voter as someone who may need assistance, but it is not a requirement in the polling place.

  • Second

    Persons With Disability Identification Cards were once used to identify disabled voters who required vote by mail ballots to vote.

    This requirement seems to be a throwback to a time when a disabled voter needed a reason for requesting a vote by mail ballot.

    With the advent of near universal availability of vote by mail ballots, identifying as a person with disabilities in order to obtain a vote by mail ballot is no longer an issue in Illinois.

  • Third

    If your county or voting jurisdiction has out-of-date voting restrictions on the disabled, become an advocate for voting rights for the disabled.

However, if a voter whose disability prevents that voter from access to the polling place and that voter requests further assistance, that jurisdiction may require a county-wide (or jurisdictional) identity card, a voter may be asked for proof of disability.

The ID card can provide that proof to the election authority (i.e., County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners)

9.I.3.a. Applying For The Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card

The Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card is all the proof you need to satisfy any disability proof or requirement with your local election authority.

The application for the Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card, as issued by the Secretary of State, can be found online at:

Link: Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card application

Text: https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_x164.pdf

The completed application is returned to the local Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services facility.

9.I.3.b. Applying For The County's Disabled Person's ID Card Or The Nursing Home Resident's ID Card

Each county, if it requires identification cards, has its own requirement for the persons with disability identification cards.

For voters outside the jurisdiction of a local board of election, apply to the county.

In jurisdictions with local boards of election, the voter should apply to the Board of Election Commissioners.

Note: A reminder that if the voter already has the Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card, they will not have to provide additional medical information for the local election authority.

What the Poll Watcher Is Looking For

A poll watcher should have little to do with disability identification cards, except to note it as an acceptable ID for registration.

A poll watcher may want to be aware of any burdensome requirement set by the local election authority which would prevent disabled people from voting.

9.I.4. State & Federally Operated Facilities.

9.I.4.a. Federally Operated Veterans' Home, Hospital, or Facility

All the noted assistance and requirements are available to these specifically named federally operated veterans' long-term care facilities at:

  • the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center,
  • Illiana Health Care System,
  • Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital,
  • Marion VA Medical Center,
  • and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.

9.I.4.b. Soldiers' & Sailors' Homes

All the noted assistance and requirements are also to be available at state soldiers' and sailors' homes long-term care facilities.

 
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