---
title: How to vote
url: https://evanstonvoterguide.com/vote/
updated: 2026-10-07
source_policy: every fact carries a numbered source; [n] markers refer to the Sources list
---

[Home](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/) / How to vote

# 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]

**181**days to Election Day, Tue Apr 6, 2027

**139**days to the primary — only if 3+ mayoral candidates file

**6–7**Election Day poll hours, a.m.–p.m.

On this page

1. Key dates
2. Register to vote
3. Vote by mail
4. Vote early
5. Election Day
6. Accessibility & language help
7. Be an election judge
8. Official links

## 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 register — A 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 status — [Cook County Clerk voter lookup](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information) — registration, sample ballot and polling place.[8]
- Register online — [ova.elections.il.gov](https://ova.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 closes — Jan 26, 2027 for the primary and Mar 9, 2027 for April.[2]
- After that: grace period — You 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 bring — Two 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 Evanston — Evanston City Clerk: 847-448-8189, cityclerk@cityofevanston.org.[1]
## Vote by mail

- Apply — [Online with the Cook County Clerk](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-by-mail). 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 windows — From Nov 25, 2026 for the primary and from Jan 6, 2027 for April.[2]
- Application deadline — Mailed 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 ballot — Ballots 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 list — [Join the permanent vote-by-mail list](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-mail/permanent-vote-mail) to get a ballot every election. 312-603-0946.[11]
- Accessible mail ballot — For 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 hours — 6 a.m.–7 p.m.[2]
- Where — Your assigned polling place. [Look it up](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information). 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]
- ID — Registered voters don’t need ID to vote.[14]
- Precinct map — [Evanston precinct map (Cook County Clerk, PDF)](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/EVANSTON%20-%202024_0.pdf)[15]
## Accessibility & language help

- At every polling place — At least one accessible touch-screen with audio, a seated voting booth, and magnifiers.[16]
- Help marking your ballot — Bring a person of your choice, or ask two election judges, one from each party.[16]
- Curbside voting — Ask at least a week before Election Day: 312-603-0929. The legal deadline is the day before.[16][2]
- Disability coordinator — 312-603-0944[16]
- Language help — Ballots 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](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/work-election-day). [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]

## Official links

- [Cook County Clerk — your voter information](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information)
- [Illinois online voter registration](https://ova.elections.il.gov/)
- [Cook County Clerk — vote by mail](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-by-mail)
- [Cook County Clerk — mail-ballot drop boxes](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-mail/mail-ballot-drop-box-locations)
- [Cook County Clerk — early voting](https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/early-voting)
- [Evanston City Clerk — elections](https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/elections.php)
- [Evanston City Clerk — 2027 special mayoral election](https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/2025_consolidated_elections/index.php)
- [Illinois State Board of Elections](https://www.elections.il.gov/)

## Sources

1. City of Evanston, City Clerk — Elections — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/elections.php
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
3. City of Evanston, City Clerk — 2027 Special Mayoral Election — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/2025_consolidated_elections/index.php
4. Evanston Now — Biss calls Oct. 19 meeting to pick acting mayor — https://evanstonnow.com/biss-calls-oct-19-meeting-to-pick-acting-mayor/
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/
6. Illinois State Board of Elections — 2027 Candidate’s Guide (via Running for Office) — https://www.elections.il.gov/RunningForOffice.aspx?MID=rOlNCTNZd9A%3D
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
8. Cook County Clerk — Your voter information — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information
9. Cook County Clerk — Election Day registration and voting — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/voter-registration/election-day-registration-and-voting
10. Cook County Clerk — Vote by mail — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-by-mail
11. Cook County Clerk — Permanent vote by mail — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/vote-mail/permanent-vote-mail
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
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/
14. Cook County Clerk — Early voting — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/early-voting
15. Cook County Clerk — Evanston precinct map (2024) — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/EVANSTON%20-%202024_0.pdf
16. Cook County Clerk — Polling place services — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/voting-accessibility-and-assistance/polling-place-services
17. Cook County Clerk — Language assistance — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/voting-accessibility-and-assistance/language-assistance
18. Cook County Clerk — Work on Election Day — https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/work-election-day