How to vote in the Chicago area’s April 4 municipal election

Chicago voters are picking a new mayor. Suburban residents could be selecting new office holders for everything from school to library boards.

DuPage voting location
Election day in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs is April 4, 2023. Manuel Martinez / WBEZ
DuPage voting location
Election day in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs is April 4, 2023. Manuel Martinez / WBEZ

How to vote in the Chicago area’s April 4 municipal election

Chicago voters are picking a new mayor. Suburban residents could be selecting new office holders for everything from school to library boards.

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It’s finally time to choose your next new Chicago mayor. The municipal elections on April 4 feature not only the highly contested race between Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, but voters in some wards across Chicago will also choose between two finalists for alderperson. Elections will also be held in the suburbs, where voters will cast their ballots for many municipal offices, including village president, trustees and members of the school, library and park boards.

Here’s what you need to know to cast your ballot:

Early voting

Casting ballots before Election Day continues to be a popular choice among voters. Here is where you can fill out your ballot in-person before April 4:

Vote by mail

A record number of Chicago residents cast their ballots by mail in February’s mayoral election. Applications for a vote-by-mail ballot must be submitted to your local election authority by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 30. If a resident is already on the list of voters who want to permanently vote-by-mail, that person does not have to apply again. All ballots must be postmarked by April 4 or else they will not be counted. Here is more information about applying for a vote-by-mail ballot.

Election Day

Polls will be open on April 4 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and do not require you to show an ID if you’re already registered to vote, though you might be required to show an ID if an election judge challenges your right to vote or if you’re registering to vote that day.