Expanded Early Voting Announced for 2026 Illinois Primary in Chicago and Cook County

In a significant step towards accommodating voters, Chicago and Cook County have expanded early voting options for the Illinois Primary Election. This initiative allows residents to cast their ballots ahead of the official election day, easing the process for many.

While early voting had already commenced about a month ago in counties like Lake, Will, McHenry, Kane, Kendall, and DuPage, it was initially limited to a handful of locations. However, starting this Monday, the number of accessible voting sites has increased, offering greater convenience to voters.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Specifically, McHenry County has introduced 11 additional early voting locations, showing a commitment to encouraging voter participation. Meanwhile, Chicago will operate early voting sites in all 50 of its wards, and suburban Cook County will have 55 locations available.

This expansion signifies a broader effort to ensure that more residents can participate in the democratic process with ease and efficiency. By providing multiple venues for early voting, the region is making it simpler for individuals to make their voices heard in the upcoming primary election.

RELATED: 2026 primary elections: Voter information in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin

Locations in all 50 Chicago wards and 55 locations in suburban Cook County will also open.

-Illinois’ primary is on March 17 with several high-stakes congressional races. Including the U.S. Senate race to replace Senator Dick Durbin.

-Illinois 8th Congressional District to replace Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who’s in the U.S. Senate race to replace Durbin.

-Illinois 2nd Congressional District to replace Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who’s also in the U.S. Senate race to replace Durbin.

-Illinois- 9th District to replace retiring Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

-Illinois 7th district to replace retiring Congressman Danny Davis.

-Illinois 4th district to replace Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia.

A reminder: people can register to vote at their local polling place, but must bring two forms of ID.

And, with new postmark rules, election officials strongly encourage voters to send their mail-in ballots at least a week before Election Day.