Guide to voting in the suburbs Tuesday: Polling places, ID rules, write-ins and more

Voters will head to the polls throughout the suburbs Tuesday to decide races for mayor and village president, city council and village boards, school boards, library and park boards, and referendums.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As results begin to trickle in, follow dailyherald.com for updates followed by full election coverage in Wednesday’s paper.

Here are answers to some frequently asked Election Day questions:

Where can I vote?

Look up your polling place by entering your address on your county clerk’s website. In many cases, locations that had been used for early voting the last two weeks will not be your designated polling place on Election Day.

Cook County: https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information

Lake County: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/332/Voter-Services

DuPage County: https://www.dupagecounty.gov/elected_officials/election_and_voter_information/voting_information

Kane County: https://clerk.kanecountyil.gov/Elections/Pages/Vote.aspx

McHenry County: https://www.mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/county-clerk/elections/voter-information

Will County: https://willilted-electionlink.precinctcentral.com/Portals/ElectionLink/ViewPollingLocation.aspx

What is on my ballot?

Individualized sample ballots are also available online from county election authorities.

Can I register to vote on Election Day?

Those who are not registered must bring two forms of identification, one of which must include a current address. Other forms of acceptable identification include a passport or military ID; driver’s license; college or work ID; vehicle registration; lease; credit or debit card; Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid card; insurance card; bank statement; pay stub; utility or medical bill; and official mail from any government agency.

Do I need ID to vote?

Identification is routinely not needed if you are already registered at your current address and are voting in the correct precinct. However, election judges can ask for ID in some circumstances, such as if your signature does not appear to match the voter signature on file. Or, if a previously mailed-in registration form did not have an Illinois identification/driver’s license number or Social Security number.

Can I cast a provisional ballot?

You may fill out a provisional ballot if you are not registered and cannot provide the required documentation on Election Day, or if your voting status has been challenged by an election judge, poll watcher or another voter and a majority of election judges agree. Your ballot will be sealed but not placed in the ballot bin. You then have seven days to provide proof of eligibility to the county election authority, and the ballot can be found to be valid and cast, or invalid and not cast.

What can I bring with me in the booth?

You are allowed to bring sample ballots and newspaper endorsements, including the Daily Herald Editorial Board’s recommendations for selected municipal and school board races. For a summary, visit https://www.dailyherald.com/20250319/endorsements/a-summary-of-daily-herald-endorsements-in-april-1-elections. For more detailed descriptions, visit https://www.dailyherald.com/election/endorsements.

Phones can be utilized to discretely look up candidate information, but voters should not make or receive calls at the voting site unless it is an emergency.

Can I write in a candidate?

To vote for someone who has filed as a write-in candidate with their local election authority, write the person’s name on the line provided (or type it, if using a touch screen) and mark the corresponding oval. According to the Cook County clerk’s office, complete accuracy of a write-in candidate’s name is not necessary as long as the election judges can determine a voter’s intent. There should be some relationship between the appearance or sound of the name written on the ballot and that of the candidate’s actual name, officials said.