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Vote by mail 




Who can vote by mail





Any registered voter may choose to vote by mail instead of going to a voting location on or before Election Day. You do not need an excuse or reason to vote by mail.

Military and overseas citizens have special procedures for registering to vote, and receiving and returning a ballot. Learn more about military and overseas voting.

Request a ballot by mail





Vote by mail is available prior to each election. Registered voters must apply to receive a ballot in the mail. You may submit your application to vote by mail no earlier than 90 days before an election and no later than 5 days before an election.

You can contact us for an application to vote by mail at 217-799-6173 and pgordon@ilcounty.us;

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You may download an application to vote by mail - English (PDF).

You may download an application to vote by mail - Espanol (PDF).

After you receive the application, you must:
  1. Fill out and sign the vote-by-mail application.
  2. Review the application.
  3. Return it to the election office.
Return the application to the Illinois County election office at 123 Main St., Springfield, IL. no later than 5 days before Election Day.

How the vote-by-mail process works





Once your application is processed you will receive a ballot, a privacy sleeve, and instructions in the mail. Follow the steps below to make sure that your ballot is counted.

Important! You must sign the return envelope and your ballot must postmarked or received by the elections office before the polls close at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

1.  Mark your ballot
  • Mark your ballot using a black ballpoint pen.
  • To vote for a candidate, completely darken the oval next to the candidate's name.
  • To vote on any measure, completely darken the oval next to the word Yes or the word No.
  • To vote for a write-in candidate, write the person's name on the blank line then completely darken the oval beside the written name. Write-in votes will only be counted for candidates who qualify.
  • If you make a mistake, you can request a replacement ballot by contacting the election office at (217) 799-6173.


2. Review your ballot
  • If you vote for more candidates than allowed or if you vote both Yes and No on a measure, your vote will not count for that candidate or measure.
  • You do not have to vote on all contests. Those you do vote on will still count.
  • Check both sides of your ballot for voting contests.


3. Sign and seal your ballot
  • Do not fold your ballot.
  • Place your ballot in the privacy sleeve.
  • Insert the privacy sleeve and ballot in the return envelope.
  • Complete the information on the back of the envelope. This includes your physical address (not a PO Box) and signature.
  • Important! Sign the return envelope or your ballot cannot be counted. 
  • Seal the envelope.


4. Return your ballot in ONE of the following ways
  • Deliver your ballot in person before Election Day to the Illinois County election office.
  • Mail your ballot to the Illinois County election office with $1.42 postage stamp.
  • Authorize someone to return your ballot by completing the Ballot Return Affidavit on the return envelope.

You, or any person you have authorized, can return your ballot. If you are returning a relative's ballot, please bring your photo ID.

Important! In order for your ballot to be counted, it MUST be either postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 14 days following Election Day

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 delivered in person to an election official by 7:00 pm on Election Day.

After you return your ballot





  1. When your ballot is received, your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card. 
  2. Your ballot will then be separated from the envelope to protect your privacy.
  3. All valid ballots are counted in every election, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race.


Certain voters may also qualify for additional vote-by-mail privileges as explained below:

Five-Year DVI Card
A voter with a permanent physical disability or a qualified nursing home resident may request a Disabled Voter's Identification Card (DVI), which is valid for all elections during a five-year period. The voter is automatically sent a Vote By Mail application by the Clerk prior to each election. The voter must complete the DVI application and return it to the Clerk in order to receive a mail ballot.

Residents of Licensed Nursing Homes 
Voters residing in licensed nursing homes vote on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday preceding an election. Residents who are registered voters and who submit a vote-by-mail application by the Thursday before the election are allowed to vote during the scheduled nursing home balloting. For complete information on nursing home voting procedures, contact the Clerk at 217-799-6173.

Hospitalized Voters 
A registered voter who is hospitalized not more than 14 days before an election may request that a ballot be delivered in person to him or her in the hospital. An affidavit must be completed by the voter, his or her attending physician, and the relative (or registered voter of the same precinct) who delivers the ballot to the hospital. Contact the Clerk at 217-799-6173 for complete details on these procedures.