Happy Birthday and congratulations on reaching voting age! This gift is information to help you learn to vote.

Why Vote? Millennials and Generation Z represent 40% of voters. You are powerful!

Democracy works when citizens vote. That is why you now have not just the right, but the responsibility of voting. It’s important to vote in every election. Primary elections determine which candidates appear in general elections; mid-term elections can change the composition of Congress; and consolidated general elections vote local officials into office, who have direct influence over your hometown. The candidates you vote into office today make decisions that will impact you years into the future – and you are our nation’s future.

Registering to Vote

The U.S. has a decentralized election system; Illinois administers most election functions on the county level. The League of Women Voters holds in-person voting registration drives. You also can register to vote online, by mail or in person at each county’s election division:

DuPage County

Cook County

If you register in person, you need two forms of ID, including at least one document with your current address and one with your photo. Acceptable forms of ID include:

Driver’s license
State identification card Passport

Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck stub, or other government document that shows your name and current address

Young voters are new voters with a learning curve. The drop- off between registering and actually voting is twice as steep

for young people. We want to change that. Below is

information to help your vote and voice count.

Upcoming Elections

Upcoming DuPage County elections can be found here. Upcoming Cook County elections can be found here.

Note for Primary Elections: Illinois has an open primary -- you do not need to be registered with a political party to vote in a primary election. However, at the polling place, poll workers will ask which party’s ballot you would like, and you can only choose one. You can, though, choose a different party ballot in the next election.

Get Ready to Vote

Each county allows you to check important voter information before you vote. The DuPage County Check Your Election Information can be found here. The Cook County Your Voter Information can be found here. You can:

Check your voter registration status

View or print a sample ballot

Find your polling place (with a link to directions)
Find your vote by mail ballot status (if you requested to vote by mail)

Finding Trustworthy Information on Candidates

Below are credible sources of voting information:

Use non-partisan voter guides such as

o IllinoisVoterGuide.org (the League’s one-stop election source)

Moving Out After Graduation?

College - The government allows students to submit absentee ballots if they are still registered in their home state but are attending college out of state. By submitting your ballot by mail before the election, you can participate as an absentee voter.

The Military - U.S. Service members and citizens of the United States temporarily residing outside the U.S. may submit a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to receive a Vote by Mail ballot.

Stay Engaged

Follow or join your local League of Women Voters

Get news from credible sources - It is important to seek out multiple, fact- checked viewpoints. Do not rely on social media.

Check out Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people.