Voter Resources
Primary Election FAQ
Once candidates have met all the requirements to be on the ballot, the next step is to determine whether a Primary Election is needed before the General or Consolidated Election. What follows are answers to some commonly asked questions regarding Primary Elections in Illinois.
Q- What is a Primary Election?
A- A primary election is an election held to narrow down the number of candidates who will be on the General or Consolidated ballot.
Q- What is the role of a General Election Primary?
A- The role of a primary election for partisan races is to narrow the field within each party to a single candidate or, in some cases, to the number of allowable spots. The candidate(s) with the most votes will represent their party in the General Election.
Q- What is the role of a Consolidated Election Primary?
A- During Consolidated Elections (think School Board, City Council, and Park District), primaries may occur for a nonpartisan race if the number of candidates exceeds the local code/law. For example, the City of Naperville will holds a Consolidated Primary Election in advance of a Consolidated Election if more than 16 candidates have successfully filed to run for a City Council seat. The number of candidates (as determined by code/law) with the most votes move onto the Consolidated Election.
Q- Is there a General Primary for every partisan elected office?
A- No. There can be a non-contested race for one or both parties’ nomination.
Note- Non-contested candidates’ names do appear on General Primary ballots.
Q- Who can vote in a Primary Election in Illinois?
A- Any registered voter in Illinois may vote in a Primary Election.
Q- Is someone who will turn 18 on or before a General or Consolidated Election Day eligible to vote in the corresponding primary?
A- Yes. Assuming they are registered in Illinois, 17-year-olds may vote in a Primary Election if they will be 18 years of age on or before the corresponding General or Consolidated Election date.
Q- Do all General Primary voters in Illinois use the same ballot?
A- No. A primary voter must affirmatively request a Democratic, Republican, or Nonpartisan (as applicable) ballot type. A voter will then receive a ballot that only lists the candidates of the party they chose. No cross-party voting is allowed in a General Primary.
Q- Are voters required to request the same ballot type from election cycle to election cycle?
A- No. Voters are not bound to select the same style ballot from election cycle to election cycle. If a voter chose a Republican ballot type in the last election, they could do so again or choose to pull a Democratic ballot in a future election (and vice versa).
Q- What is a nonpartisan ballot type?
A- In Illinois, a nonpartisan ballot type is available to voters who wish to only vote on nonpartisan races and/or referendum measures.
Q- Are the hours and methods of voting in an Illinois-based Primary Election the same as those in an Illinois-based General or Consolidated Election?
A- Yes. The three methods of voting- Vote by Mail (VBM), Early In-person voting and Election Day in-person voting all exist. Voting procedures for VBM, the locations and hours for Early In-person voting and the location of your assigned polling place on Election Day can be found on your county’s election division website.
Q- Do primary elections have high voter turnouts?
A- No. Primary turnout levels have historically lagged behind general elections. Believing that all registered voters should participate fully in the democratic process, the League encourages voting in primaries.
Q- Do all States run Primaries in the same manner?
A- No. States are allowed to run their primary process as they see fit as long as they meet all applicable federal, state and local laws. Illinois is considered an Modified Open Primary state where the Democratic and Republican political parties hold separate primaries, but all registered voters have the choice of which primary they wish to participate in. Voters are not allowed to cross-party vote in an Illinois primary election.
Q- I still have questions about the Primary Process. Who can I contact?
A- The League of Women Voters Naperville encourages voters to seek out see answers to their questions by contacting official sources:
DuPage County Elections- (630) 407-5600 website
Will County Elections- (815) 740-4615 website
Illinois State Board of Elections- (312) 814-6440 website