Western Springs 2026 Voter Guide: What You Need To Know

Here's what you need to know to cast your vote, from voter registration to polling places to mail-in voting to what's on the ballot.

By David Giuliani, Patch Staff

Oct 12, 2026 5:13 PM CDT

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – The general election is less than a month away on Nov. 3 and will include statewide and local races.

County Board

The District 17 Cook County Board race is far from typical, given a controversy that made headlines around the world.

Democrat Elyse Hoffenberg of La Grange faces Republican Liz Gorman of Orland Park. They are vying to replace Republican Seth Morrison, who decided not to run again.

Hoffenberg is the elected clerk for Lyons Township; Gorman is a former County Board member.

Gorman requested a security video from Hoffenberg's office that showed the clerk kissing longtime Democratic power broker Steven Landek, Bridgeview's mayor. Hoffenberg said she told Landek that it was inappropriate.

Congressional race

In his 6th Congressional District, Rep. Sean Casten is expected to cruise to victory over Republican Niki Conforti. He has far outraised her.

Registering to vote

If you're not sure if you're registered to vote, you can check online. To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old — or will be 18 by Election Day — and you must have lived in your precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election.

Online voter registration is available until Oct. 18 on the Illinois Board of Elections website. To register online, residents must have a driver's license or state ID, or a Social Security number.

Even if you miss that deadline, you can take advantage of grace period in-person voter registration at your county clerk's office or permanent early voting locations. You can also register at your polling place on Election Day.

To register in person, you'll need to bring two forms of ID, with at least one showing your current address.

Voting early

Cook County lists its early voting sites.

Other races to watch

All Western Springs voters will have several statewide contests on their ballots.

U.S. Senate: Democrat Juliana Stratton faces Republican Don Tracy in the race for U.S. Senate.
Illinois Governor and Lieutenant Governor: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking another term, facing off against Republican Darren Bailey.
Illinois Attorney General: Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul faces Republican Bob Fioretti.
Illinois Secretary of State: Democratic Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias faces Republican Diane Harris.
Illinois Comptroller: Democrat Margaret Croke faces Republican Bryan Drew.
Illinois Treasurer: Democratic Treasurer Michael Frerichs faces Republican Max Solomon.

Find all of Illinois Patch's 2026 election coverage here.

Voting By Mail

If you want to vote by mail, you must apply online or in person by Oct. 29 through Cook County's election authority.

Ballots must be postmarked or placed in a dropbox by Election Day, Nov. 3, to count.

Find Your Sample Ballot

Take a look at your sample ballot.

For full coverage of the 2026 election in Illinois, go here.