The upcoming Primary Election has the potential to make history in more ways than one, so Chicago-area residents will want to be sure to pull out a calendar and jot down the key dates to keep in mind this voting season.
Residents will vote on congressional and gubernatorial candidates, as well as referendums related to projects in their area and more.
A look at some of the big races in the Primary Election is available here.
Whether you’re mailing in your ballot or heading to a polling place, here’s a breakdown of some key dates you won’t want to miss for the 2026 Primary Election.
Key dates to take note of for the 2026 Primary Election:
Sunday expansion of early voting
Though polling places in Chicago’s downtown are already open to voters, polling places in all 50 wards of the city and across suburban counties will open for early voting on Sunday, March 2.
Early voting continues through March 16, though many early voting sites will also be open on Election Day.
Deadline to mail in your ballot
Ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, March 17, and must be received no later than 14 days after that date to count.
Voters opting to mail their ballot should be mindful of a change in the way United States Postal Service postmarks mail that went into effect on January 1 and has the power to render ballots ineligible for counting.
The key to the USPS change is that their new policy states a postmark no longer reflects the date mail is received by USPS, instead it reflects the date the mail is processed.
Previously, voters could run to a USPS office and drop off their ballot seconds before closing and it would still count as being postmarked on Election Day. Now, however, the policy change means the postmark date could be days after mail is received by USPS — depending on how long the processing takes.
“While this change has been described as minor, its potential impact on elections is anything but,” Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon said in a statement.
Election officials are urging voters to drop their ballot as early as possible to avoid any issues.
Election Day
Election day for the Democratic and Republican Primary falls on Tuesday, March 17.
Polling places will be open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
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