Voter Resources
Explore the resources on this page to learn how to register to vote, where and when to cast your ballot, and other key election details.
If you are looking for information on voter registration and polling places, you can find that information on the Cook County Election Department website.
Key Dates
- November 3, 2026: General Election Day: polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Register to Vote
Do you need to register to vote? You can register at the Library!
To register:
- You must be 18 or older at the time of the election
- You must live in Illinois
- You must bring two pieces of identification that show your legal name. At least one must show your address. Some examples include: Illinois Driver’s License, Illinois State ID, utility bill in applicant’s name, mail postmarked to the applicant, or a lease.
Bring your identification to Patron Services and they will register you to vote.
To Vote in Illinois
- You must be a United States Citizen.
- You must be at least 17 years old on or before the date of the Primary Election and turn 18 on or before the date of the General or Consolidated Election (16 year olds may preregister to vote).
- You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
- You must not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction.
- You may not claim the right to vote anywhere else.
Check Your Registration Status
Verify your registration with the Illinois Board of Elections Registration Lookup Tool. If you’ve moved or changed your name since your last registration, you’ll need to re-register to vote.
In person: at least 28 days before election day
Register to vote at Niles Village Hall during regular hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 am–5 pm), with the Niles Township Clerk, or at any of the Cook County Clerk’s six offices or an Illinois Secretary of State driver’s license facility.
Online: at least 16 days before election day
If you have an Illinois driver’s license or state ID, you can register online through the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
Mail: must be postmarked at least 28 days before election day
Download a mail-in registration form from the Cook County Clerk’s website. Note that this differs from requesting a mail-in ballot.
Grace period registration: up to and including election day
Register (and vote) in person at your local elections office during the “grace period,” which begins 27 days before election day and ends on election day.
Early Voting extends the registration period by allowing voters to register and vote until the Monday before an election. Guidelines limit when and where Early Voting registrants can vote – during the Early Voting period, voters must register and vote in person at one of the Clerk’s designated Early Voting locations.
Individuals wishing to vote during the Early Voting must bring two pieces of identification to register, one with a current address. Registrants must immediately cast their ballot after registering to vote.
Register to Vote
Niles-Maine District Library is in Congressional District 9.
To view all candidates on the ballot, see the Cook County Clerk’s Website.
Sample Ballots
View the elections you will be voting in with this sample ballot lookup tool.
Here’s how it works:
- Enter your address
- Select an upcoming election date, if there is more than one coming up in your area.
- View the list of candidates that will be on your ballot. Ballotpedia includes comprehensive election information for the largest 100 cities by population, as well as all state legislative, statewide, and congressional races across the nation.
- Click on your candidates to read their biography, view past election results, read their campaign themes and responses to Ballotopeida’s candidate survey, and more.
A nonpartisan site that allows you to see exactly what will be on your ballot and help you research the candidates and referendums on there.
An American non-profit website focused on increasing voter turnout with information on election issues and voter registration resources. Developed by the nonpartisan group Democracy Works.
Additional Resources
Find non-partisan, factual information on the candidates, and where they stand on the most important issues.
Provides the same story from the Center, from the Left, and from the Right to give readers the full picture.
A private, nonprofit company that provides live access to Congressional proceedings without editing, commentary, or analysis and with a balanced presentation of points of view.
A nonpartisan, nonprofit site that monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.
A fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of political statements through government reports, academic studies, and other original documentation.
Provides free, factual, unbiased information to stay informed about the voting records, special group endorsements, and campaign funding of elected officials and candidates. Not sure who to vote for? Use their VoteEasy tool to find the candidate that most closely matches your opinions.
How to Vote
Early Voting
Location: Village of Niles, 1000 Civic Center Drive, Niles (1st Floor Council Chambers)
List of Early Voting Facilities in Cook County
Voting by Mail
Any registered suburban Cook County voter may request a mail ballot. See the Cook County Clerk’s Vote by Mail webpage for more details.
OR: Download the Illinois Voter Registration Application and mail to Cook County Clerk’s Office 69 W. Washington, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60602
Voting in Person
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. statewide. For help finding your polling place, see the Cook County Clerk’s Polling Place Finder tool.