What time do polls close in Illinois? See key voting hours for the 2026 midterm election
The 2026 midterm general election is Tuesday, November 3, when voters will get to choose their next Illinois governor, U.S. senator, representatives in the U.S. House and more. So what time do you need to be at the polls if you're voting on Election Day in Illinois?
What times do polls close in Illinois?
Polls close on primary day at 7 p.m.
However, if you are in line but have not yet cast your ballot when the polls close at 7 p.m., stay in line! Anyone in line when polls officially close in Illinois will be allowed to vote. You don't need to feel rushed either; your vote will be counted as long as you stay in line and fill out your ballot.
Polls can get busy in the evening hours because of voters getting off work. While historically major waits at the polls have not been reported in Illinois, you may still want to budget extra time for voting if you are planning to go in the evening.
To find your polling place, visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website and enter your address.
If you are not registered to vote but want to be, you can register on-site at any polling place through primary day. Additionally, Illinois residents who are 17 at the time of the primary, but will be 18 on Election Day in November, are able to vote in both elections and can also register at the polls.
To register to vote at an Illinois polling place, you must provide two valid forms of identification, such as a driver's license or state ID.
If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot but haven't yet put it in the mailbox, many polling places also have drop boxes where you can submit your ballot and be sure it's counted. A full list of drop box locations is available here.
Can you cast your ballot outside of voting hours in Illinois?
Early voting in Illinois starts 40 days before Election Day, on Sept. 24, 2026.
The Illinois State Board of Elections and the Chicago Board of Elections have lists of early voting locations and hours on their websites. Early voting ends the day before Election Day.
When will results start coming in?
Results will start being reported when polls close at 7 p.m.
Some races may be uncontested, and final results could be near instantaneous. Others have multiple candidates and may take longer for a winner to be projected.
However, polls need to close before any results, including those from early voting and mail-in voting, can be reported.