Illinois voters can help narrow down the field of candidates running for statewide elected offices during next week’s primary elections.
Election Day is March 17. In addition to the governor’s race, voters will also get a say in who moves onto the general election in November for Illinois’s open U.S. Senate seat. Longtime Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin is not seeking reelection. Other statewide offices on primary ballots include attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer.
Congressional races, which are held every two years, will also be on Illinois ballots, along with many state House and Senate offices.
Any voter in Illinois can choose to cast their ballots early. In-person early voting is open through March 16, though exact days and times vary by county. Mail-in ballots can be requested through March 12. However, both the state Democratic and Republican parties are advising mail-in ballots to be returned by March 10 due to changes in U.S. Post Office postmarking policies.
Illinois voters can choose which party’s primary elections they would like to cast ballots in, and can change which party’s primary they vote in from year to year.
Capitol News Illinois, a nonpartisan nonprofit news organization, has put together an election guide with information on candidates running for U.S. Senate and for Illinois state elected executive offices – along with information about voter registration and how to cast a ballot.
