Politics

Early Voting for 2026 Primary Election Begins in Downtown Chicago, With New Supersite Location

Early voting for the upcoming primary election began in downtown Chicago on Thursday at two locations, with more early voting locations expected to open next month.

Early voting for the March 17 primary election is now open at the Chicago Board of Elections office, located at 69 W. Washington St. on the 6th floor, and at the new Chicago Board of Elections supersite, 137 S. State St.

“Any voter registered to vote, and any Chicago resident who is a U.S. citizen and would like to register to vote, can now come to downtown and vote early, and get a head start on their civic duty,” Marisel Hernandez, chairwoman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said during a Thursday news conference.

A list of hours for the early voting downtown locations can be found on the Chicago Board of Elections website.

Early voting in all 50 wards in Chicago will begin March 2 and will run through Election Day.

On Election Day, voters can vote at any of the 50 ward early voting sites, the new downtown supersite — with more than 80 voting machines — or at their assigned precinct polling place.

For those voting by mail, Hernandez recommended vote-by-mail ballots be mailed out at least a week before Election Day in light of recent U.S. Postal Service postmark policy changes. Those changes mean that vote-by-mail ballots might not be postmarked the same day they are mailed out. Only ballots postmarked by Election Day on March 17 are accepted.

Those voting by mail can also drop off their ballot at drop-off boxes at any early voting site. By using the drop-off boxes, ballots will be marked the same day it is received, Hernandez said. 

The board has already begun to mail out more than 152,000 vote-by-mail ballots, Hernandez said.

As concerns grow of federal agents being at voting sites amid ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the city, Hernandez noted federal and state laws prohibit any type of intimidation of voters during elections, including prohibiting the presence of federal officers at any polling place.

Election judges have been trained to contact the board, and, if necessary, call 911 if they see unusual activity, according to Hernandez. The Chicago Board of Elections is in contact with federal, state and local agencies and authorities to ensure “we’re all on the same page” and that they will respond “swiftly” if violations occur, Hernandez said.

“Every voter has the right to register to vote, and then vote free of intimidation, threats and coercion,” Hernandez said. “We will do what we need to do to protect the rights of voters.”

More than 6,000 people have applied to be election judges for Election Day, with more than 1,300 high school students already assigned, according to Hernandez. The board is still seeking poll workers for Election Day. Election judges make up to $230 for the day.

For voters in suburban Cook County, early voting starts Feb. 18 at select locations, including at the Pedway at the Cook County Administration Building, 69 W. Washington St. in Chicago. Expanded early voting begins March 2.

More information can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s Office website.

During the primary election, voters will choose candidates from a political party to appear on the ballot for the general election in November. Chicago voters can choose one of the following political party ballots for the primary: Democratic, Republican and Libertarian.

Elected offices on the ballot this year include: governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representatives, comptroller, state representatives and state senators in the General Assembly, Cook County board president and other Cook County offices.

“Research your choices now and make a plan to vote early,” Hernandez said.

Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]

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