Evanston Voter GuideSpecial election · 2026–27
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How to vote

Evanston elections are run by the Cook County Clerk. Here is how to register, vote by mail, vote early or vote in person, with every deadline. [1]

181days to Election Day, Tue Apr 6, 2027
139days to the primary — only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
6–7Election Day poll hours, a.m.–p.m.

Key dates

Dates marked “primary only” apply only if three or more mayoral candidates file. We’ll know by December 17, 2026. [2][3]

  1. Sun Oct 18, 2026Mayor Biss’s resignation takes effect[3]Effective at 11:59 p.m. That creates the vacancy this special election fills.
  2. Mon Oct 19, 2026City Council picks an acting mayor[4][5]Special meeting at 5 p.m. Five of nine votes needed. The acting mayor serves until the newly elected mayor takes office.
  3. Oct 19–26, 2026Mayoral candidates file[3]With the Evanston City Clerk, Suite 240, 909 Davis St., 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Candidates need 946 to 1,513 valid signatures.
  4. Mon Nov 2, 2026Deadline to object to mayoral petitions[2][3]Objections to nomination papers are due.
  5. Nov 16–23, 2026School and Oakton board candidates file[2][6][7]D65 and D202 candidates file with the Cook County Clerk. Oakton candidates file at Oakton’s Des Plaines campus. 50 signatures.
  6. Wed Nov 25, 2026Mail-ballot applications open for the primary[2]First day to apply for a mail ballot for the February 23 primary.Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  7. Thu Dec 17, 2026Deadline to certify the mayoral ballot[2]Last day for the City Clerk to certify mayoral candidates to the county. By then we’ll know whether a February primary will be held.
  8. Wed Jan 6, 2027Mail-ballot applications open for April[2]First day to apply for a mail ballot for the April 6 election.
  9. Jan 14 – Feb 22, 2027Early voting for the primary[2]Early voting at Cook County Clerk sites. The Evanston location and hours haven’t been announced.Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  10. Tue Jan 26, 2027Regular registration closes for the primary[2]After this, grace-period registration with ID runs through Election Day.Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  11. Sun Feb 7, 2027Online registration closes for the primary[2]Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  12. Thu Feb 18, 2027Mail-ballot application due for the primary[2]Mailed applications must be received by the Cook County Clerk.Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  13. Tue Feb 23, 2027Mayoral primary[3][2]Held only if three or more candidates file. Polls open 6 a.m.–7 p.m.Primary only if 3+ mayoral candidates file
  14. Feb 25 – Apr 5, 2027Early voting for April[2]At Cook County Clerk sites. If a primary is held, this may start as late as March 12. The Evanston site and hours haven’t been announced.
  15. Tue Mar 9, 2027Regular registration closes[2]After this you can still register in person, with two IDs, during the grace period through Election Day.
  16. Sun Mar 21, 2027Online registration closes[2]At ova.elections.il.gov.
  17. Thu Apr 1, 2027Mail-ballot application due[2]Mailed applications must be received by the Cook County Clerk.
  18. Tue Apr 6, 2027Election Day[2]Mayor, District 65, District 202 and Oakton College boards. Polls open 6 a.m.–7 p.m.
  19. Tue Apr 20, 2027Last day for mail ballots to arrive[2]Ballots postmarked by April 6 and received by today are counted.

Register to vote

Who can registerA U.S. citizen who is 18 by Election Day and has lived in their precinct at least 30 days before the election.[1]
Check your statusCook County Clerk voter lookup — registration, sample ballot and polling place.[8]
Register onlineova.elections.il.gov. You’ll need an Illinois driver’s license or state ID. Closes Feb 7 for the primary and Mar 21 for April.[1][2]
Regular registration closesJan 26, 2027 for the primary and Mar 9, 2027 for April.[2]
After that: grace periodYou can still register and vote in person through Election Day. That runs Jan 27–Feb 23 for the primary and Mar 10–Apr 6 for April. Bring two IDs.[2]
What ID to bringTwo forms of ID, one showing your current address. Neither has to have a photo. Accepted examples include an Illinois driver’s license or state ID, a student or employee ID, a utility bill, a lease, a passport, or mail postmarked to you.[1][9]
Help in EvanstonEvanston City Clerk: 847-448-8189, cityclerk@cityofevanston.org.[1]

Vote by mail

ApplyOnline with the Cook County Clerk. You’ll need your driver’s license or state ID number, the last four digits of your SSN, and an email address. Paper applications are available in 12 languages.[10]
Application windowsFrom Nov 25, 2026 for the primary and from Jan 6, 2027 for April.[2]
Application deadlineMailed applications must be received by Feb 18 for the primary and Apr 1 for April. You can apply in person at the Clerk’s office until the day before the election.[2]
Returning your ballotBallots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Mar 9 for the primary or Apr 20 for April. You can also use an official drop box.[2]
Permanent listJoin the permanent vote-by-mail list to get a ballot every election. 312-603-0946.[11]
Accessible mail ballotFor voters who are blind or print-disabled: 312-603-0976.[12]

Vote early

Early voting for April runs Feb 25 through Apr 5, 2027 at Cook County Clerk sites. If a primary is held, it may start as late as March 12. Primary early voting runs Jan 14 through Feb 22. [2]

The 2027 Evanston early-voting location and hours haven’t been announced. The county must post the schedule before voting begins. [2] For the November 2026 election, Evanston’s site is the Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St. It was also used for the March 2026 primary. [1][13] The former Morton Civic Center, Evanston’s early-voting site through March 2025, is no longer used. [13] We’ll post the 2027 site as soon as it’s announced.

Already registered? You don’t need ID to vote early, though bringing one speeds up check-in. You can also register and vote at the same visit. [14]

Election Day

Poll hours6 a.m.–7 p.m.[2]
WhereYour assigned polling place. Look it up. Polling places can change between elections.[8]
Not registered?You can register and vote on Election Day at your home precinct polling place with two IDs, one showing your address.[9]
IDRegistered voters don’t need ID to vote.[14]
Precinct mapEvanston precinct map (Cook County Clerk, PDF)[15]

Accessibility & language help

At every polling placeAt least one accessible touch-screen with audio, a seated voting booth, and magnifiers.[16]
Help marking your ballotBring a person of your choice, or ask two election judges, one from each party.[16]
Curbside votingAsk at least a week before Election Day: 312-603-0929. The legal deadline is the day before.[16][2]
Disability coordinator312-603-0944[16]
Language helpBallots in English and Spanish everywhere, with more languages in some precincts. Hotlines: Spanish 312-603-6767, Chinese 312-603-6769, Polish 312-603-6770, Hindi 312-603-6743, Tagalog 312-603-6742, Korean 312-603-6745, Russian 312-603-6751, Ukrainian 312-603-6752, Gujarati 312-603-6746, Urdu 312-603-6748, Arabic 312-603-6747. TDD 312-603-0902.[17]

Be an election judge

Election judges run polling places on Election Day. The Cook County Clerk pays $250 to $400, depending on the role. Sign up with the Cook County Clerk. [18] If you work for an employer with 25 or more employees, give written notice by Feb 3 for the primary or Mar 17 for April. [2]

Sources

  1. City of Evanston, City Clerk — Elections — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/elections.php · accessed 2026-10-06
  2. Illinois State Board of Elections — 2027 Election & Campaign Finance Calendar (via Running for Office) — https://www.elections.il.gov/RunningForOffice.aspx?MID=rOlNCTNZd9A%3D · accessed 2026-10-06
  3. City of Evanston, City Clerk — 2027 Special Mayoral Election — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/2025_consolidated_elections/index.php · accessed 2026-10-06
  4. Evanston Now — Biss calls Oct. 19 meeting to pick acting mayor — https://evanstonnow.com/biss-calls-oct-19-meeting-to-pick-acting-mayor/ · accessed 2026-10-06
  5. Evanston RoundTable — City Council decides five votes is enough to pick temporary mayor (June 8, 2026) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/06/08/city-council-decides-five-votes-is-enough-to-pick-temporary-mayor-when-biss-heads-to-washington/ · accessed 2026-10-06
  6. Illinois State Board of Elections — 2027 Candidate’s Guide (via Running for Office) — https://www.elections.il.gov/RunningForOffice.aspx?MID=rOlNCTNZd9A%3D · accessed 2026-10-06
  7. Oakton College — Board of Trustees board book, August 2026 (Item 8/26-10) — https://www.oakton.edu/_pdfs/board-books/2026/august-2026-board-book.pdf · accessed 2026-10-06
  8. Cook County Clerk — Your voter information — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information · accessed 2026-10-06
  9. Cook County Clerk — Election Day registration and voting — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/voter-registration/election-day-registration-and-voting · accessed 2026-10-06
  10. Cook County Clerk — Vote by mail — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-by-mail · accessed 2026-10-06
  11. Cook County Clerk — Permanent vote by mail — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-mail/permanent-vote-mail · accessed 2026-10-06
  12. Cook County Clerk — Visually impaired and print-disabled voters — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-mail/visually-impaired-and-print-disabled-voters · accessed 2026-10-06
  13. Evanston RoundTable — Robert Crown will host Evanston’s early voting (Dec. 28, 2025) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/12/28/robert-crown-will-host-evanstons-early-voting-in-march-primary/ · accessed 2026-10-06
  14. Cook County Clerk — Early voting — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/early-voting · accessed 2026-10-06
  15. Cook County Clerk — Evanston precinct map (2024) — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/EVANSTON%20-%202024_0.pdf · accessed 2026-10-06
  16. Cook County Clerk — Polling place services — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/voting-accessibility-and-assistance/polling-place-services · accessed 2026-10-06
  17. Cook County Clerk — Language assistance — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/voting-accessibility-and-assistance/language-assistance · accessed 2026-10-06
  18. Cook County Clerk — Work on Election Day — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/work-election-day · accessed 2026-10-06