Pre-18 voter registration in Illinois
In Illinois 164,436 people turn 18 every year.
Illinoisans can pre-register before turning 18.
pre-register before turning To register to vote in Illinois, you must be: 16 years old.
That means all eligible seniors, juniors and most sophomores in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18*.
*In Illinois, 17-year-olds can vote in primaries if they will be 18 by Nov 3rd, 2026.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote.
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in Illinois
Upcoming Statewide or Federal Elections:
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - Illinois General Election (Register by Oct 18th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for Illinois.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in Illinois.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
To submit a voter registration application by mail in Illinois, you must provide ONE of the following forms of identification: Illinois driver's license number; Illinois ID card number; last four digits of your Social Security number
If you have not been issued any of these ID numbers, indicate this on the form.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in Illinois you must:
be a United States citizen
be a resident of Illinois and of your election precinct at least 30 days before the next election
be 18 years old to vote in a Consolidated or General Election or 17 years old to vote in a Consolidated Primary or General Primary Election if you will be 18 by the time of the Consolidated or General Election
not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of conviction of any crime
not claim the right to vote anywhere else
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and submit your registration application by mail, federal law requires you to provide proof of identification. Include an acceptable ID number, if you have been issued one, on your application. If you have not been issued an acceptable ID number, you must instead submit with your application a COPY of identification documentation OR show proof of identification when you vote. Acceptable forms of identification include a current and valid photo ID OR a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows your name and address. More information about these requirements is available on the National Voter Registration Form.
Online Instructions
To register online in Illinois, you are required to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number and ONE of the following ID numbers with its issuance date: Illinois Drivers License or Illinois State ID number. If you don’t have an Illinois-issued ID or a Social Security number, you can still submit a voter registration application by mail or in person.
More information here.
Illinois High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
Illinois Requirements for High School Voter Registration
The State Board of Elections shall prepare a one page document explaining the process to register to vote to be disseminated to high school age students. Every high school must provide students with that document.
No high school may prohibit nonpartisan voter registration activities on its premises. A high school may adopt reasonable regulations restricting nonpartisan voter registration activities.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Jul 6th, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Jun 22nd, 2026.
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
