Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators from his office will begin election monitoring today as early voting has begun in many areas of the state.

It has been the longstanding practice of the Attorney General’s office to monitor elections in Illinois to ensure that voters’ rights are protected and polling places are accessible. Raoul urged voters to call his office if they encounter suspected improper or illegal activity. Voters in Chicago and northern Illinois can call 1-866-536-3496, and voters in central and southern Illinois can call 1-866-559-6812. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities can reach the office by using the 711 relay service. The hotlines are open now and will remain open through Nov. 17.

“Voting no longer takes place only on Election Day, so my office has expanded its monitoring efforts to cover early voting as well. Attorneys and investigators will be in the field monitoring polling places around Illinois in the coming weeks and on Election Day,” Raoul said. “Voters can have confidence that our elections are safe and secure and can rest assured that in Illinois, we are focused on facilitating, not limiting, their access to the ballot box. Illinoisans have several options to cast their votes, including by mail, in-person early voting and going to the polls on Election Day. I encourage voters to make a voting plan now to exercise this most fundamental right.”

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision obtained by Raoul and a coalition of state attorneys general ensures that voting by mail operations will proceed as usual, without any federal restrictions.

Raoul reminds Illinois voters that they can vote by mail for any reason. Voters can request a mail-in ballot by filling out an application that can be obtained by visiting their local election authority in person or by visiting the Illinois State Board of Elections’ website. The application should be returned to the voter’s local election authority. Voters can look up their local election authority, including contact information, using the Illinois State Board of Elections website. Mail-in ballots can be requested until Oct. 29. 

Ballots can be returned by mail, to the local election authority or, in many jurisdictions, a secure drop box. A list of drop-box locations can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections’ website.

Raoul encourages voters returning their ballots by mail to do so as soon as possible. Ballots must be postmarked by midnight on Election Day. The U.S. Postal Service recommends that voters mail their ballots at least one week prior to the deadline for submitting them. Voters who drop their ballot off at a Postal Service retail location on or near Election Day should request a manual postmark at the counter.

Early voting has started in many areas of Illinois. Voters can find out about early voting in their area by visiting the Illinois State Board of Elections website. Information for Cook County can be found on the Cook County clerk’s website.

Voters can check their registration status with their local election authority or the Illinois State Board of Elections. Raoul encourages Illinoisans who want to register to vote to do so through trusted sources, such as at the office of their local election authority or the State Board of Elections’ Online Voter Application. Voters can submit a voter registration form to their local election authority through Oct. 6, and register online through Oct. 18. After Oct. 18, voters can register at the office of their local election authority under the guidelines of grace period registration.

Voters can find more information through the election resource hub on Raoul’s website.

A Spanish version of this press release is available here.