Voting 101: A registration guide for Loyola students

The 2026 midterms are quickly approaching, and students on campus may be preparing to vote. 

Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Registration rules vary from state to state, but voters can vote in person or through an absentee mail-in ballot. 

In Illinois, voters have the option to vote in person before or on Election Day. Early voting dates for each county can be found on the State Board of Elections lookup page.

For in-person voting on Election Day, use the polling place locator to find polling stations for where you are registered. 

Those voting absentee must mail applications for their ballot before receiving it in the mail. Applications for absentee ballots in Illinois are due Oct. 29. The dates for other states vary widely. Absentee ballots in other states should be requested early and sent out early. 

Offices on the ballot in Illinois include the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Governor and state representatives, according to Ballotopedia. To gauge which candidates voters align with, sites like BallotReady can be referenced. 

How to register:

In Illinois, voters can automatically register at Secretary of State Driver’s Services facilities unless they opt out. More information on polling places can be found on the State Board of Elections polling location lookup. 

Loyola Votes is a non-partisan, university-wide campus initiative under the Loyola University Public Engagement that encourages student civic engagement. Loyola Votes has resources for both in-state and out-of-state voters and recommends making a voting plan.

To check voter registration status in Illinois, check with the State Board of Elections.

Regular in-person voter registration ended Oct. 6 and online registration ends Oct. 18. Illinois law includes a grace period for registration that lasts through election day for in-person voting. 

Registration during the grace period requires two forms of identification, with one showing your current address, according to the State Board of Elections. That can mean a driver’s license, state identification card or bill that shows proof of address. 

To register to vote in Illinois, voters must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age on election day and a resident of their precinct for at least 30 days. Illinois voters can only be registered in one precinct to vote.