PLAINFIELD, IL — With one day until the Nov. 3 general election, it's nearly time for voters to choose candidates for office ranging from governor and U.S. senator to county board.
Voters will also decide congressional and Illinois General Assembly races. Exactly which races appear on a voter's ballot depends on where they live.
Congressional, state legislative and Will County Board district boundaries span municipal lines, meaning two Plainfield residents may receive different ballots.
RELATED: Illinois 2026 Voter Guide: Pritzker Vs. Bailey Rematch, Other Hot Races To Watch
Here's everything you need to know to cast your vote, from voter registration to polling places to mail-in voting to what's on the ballot.
For full coverage of the 2026 election in Illinois, go here.
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Anyone who is in line by 7 p.m. has the right to vote.
You can find your polling pace online:
Early voting began Sept. 24 — 40 days before Election Day — at the Will County Clerk's Office, 302 N. Chicago St., in downtown Joliet. Voters can still cast their ballots there from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.
The regular voter registration deadline has passed, but Illinois residents still have options. Online voter registration continues through Sunday, Oct. 18, while grace-period registration is underway and continues through Election Day.
If you think that you may already be registered to vote, you can check by using the State Board of Election's Voter Registration Lookup.
Residents registering during the grace period must provide two forms of identification, with at least one showing their current address. Those who register during the grace period must also vote at the time they register.
The deadline to apply for vote by mail has passed. Vote by mail ballots must be postmarked or placed in a drop box by Election Day, Nov. 3, to count.
You can find your local mail-in voting drop boxes here.
All Will County voters will have several statewide contests on their ballots.
The 97th District covers part of Plainfield. A hotly watched race, Republican Gabby Shanahan will challenge Democrat Jessica Dixon Heitman, who was appointed to the seat this summer after the disgraced Rep. Harry Benton (D-Plainfield) resigned and withdrew his candidacy from the election.
Benton, who was first elected in 2022, stepped down after an investigation determined he committed two separate acts of sexual harassment.
Several countywide offices are on the ballot this November.
Local residents may also vote in several contested Will County Board races. Voters will choose two candidates in each district.
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