Illinois mail-in voting: What to know

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What is the difference between mail-in voting and absentee voting?

David Spunt takes a look at the differences between mail-in voting and absentee voting

As the United States prepares to hold a presidential election in the midst of a deadly pandemic, many states are relying on voting by mail to reduce in-person contact at the polls, including Illinois.

In July, Illinois sent mail ballot applications to all Illinois voters who'd voted since the 2018 general election. The step by the board of elections to provide all recent voters with absentee ballot applications is in line with what many other states have done, but does not go as far as other states that are mailing actual ballots to every voter.

"We are encouraged by the strong response to the ongoing vote-by-mail effort,” Illinois Board of Elections Executive Director Steve Sandvoss said in late August as the state surpassed 1 million mail ballots requested. “Voting by mail provides a safe, secure and convenient voting option for those concerned about COVID-19. It also will help ease congestion at in-person polling places during early voting and on Election Day.”

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABSENTEE VOTING AND UNIVERSAL VOTE-BY-MAIL? 

The state is now reporting that more than 2 million voters have requested mail ballots and nearly 100,000 voted early in-person. Voters can still request an absentee ballot until Oct. 29, but due to reports that mail ballots may be delayed, the board of elections is asking voters to request their ballots before Oct. 15.

Voters can either return their ballots by mail, give them to local election authority offices or use available drop boxes, which the state has listed online.

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Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and be received by the local election authority by Nov. 17 to be counted, according to the state board of elections. Voters who request a mail ballot then decide to vote in person can surrender those ballots to an election judge at the in-person polling place. If voters request a mail ballot then do not bring it to the polls they can sign an affidavit saying that they have not voted with the mail ballot and still vote in person.