Do You Know the 3 Most Important Rules for Polling Places in Illinois?

It's Election Day, and before you head out to cast your vote, let's get a refresh on the rules that must be followed at polling places throughout Illinois.

Election Day in Illinois

I don't know about you, but I am so glad that Election Day is finally here for one big reason; we won't have to see or hear political commercials anymore!

That being said, today's election is an important one that many people are very passionate about, and I'm slightly concerned about how people will be behaving at polling places. I think it might be a good time for a quick refresher about the rules we all must follow at all polling places in Illinois.

Illinois Polling Place Rules

Before we get into polling place rules in Illinois, let's just remember that Federal law makes campaigning inside polling places illegal (but it is ok to place campaign signs outside from a distance). The law also states;

no person … shall intimidate, threaten, coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of (that) person to vote or to vote as he may choose.

This morning I started to panic a little when I couldn't find my new voter registration card, but then I remembered, showing the card isn't necessary at polling places in Illinois. You don't even need to show an ID to vote unless;

• An Election Judge challenges your right to vote
• You registered to vote by mail and did not provide ID
• You are registering to vote or changing your registration address on the day that you vote.

Here are more Illinois polling place rules you need to remember when heading out to voice your choice today:

• You can request up to 2 hours off work to go vote if your regular schedule doesn't allow you to vote when polling places are open.
• You are allowed to bring in written or printed information that will help in making voting choices.
• If you are denied the right to vote because your name does not appear on the list, or you do not have ID in the few cases it's needed, you are entitled to a provisional ballot.