Chicago Voters Turn Out in Record Early Numbers
More than 450,000 Chicagoans had cast ballots by mid-day Tuesday in the 2026 Midterm General Election.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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As of mid-day Tuesday, more than 450,000 Chicagoans had cast ballots in the 2026 Midterm General Election, with 129,784 voting in person as of 11:30 a.m. on Election Day. In-person early voting rose about 24 percent compared with the 2022 Midterm General Election.
Why it matters
Early turnout in Chicago reflects strong participation among its roughly 1.57 million registered voters, with about 20 percent casting ballots before Election Day. Voters are deciding Board of Education president and board seats, federal, state and legislative offices, and several referenda.
Chicago's Board of Elections reported 211,657 in-person early votes, up about 24 percent from the 2022 Midterm General Election, while 109,215 of 242,230 requested mail-in ballots had been returned by Monday night. Final totals and the remaining mail-in ballots were still pending as polls prepared to close.
The details
Any Chicagoan could cast a ballot at a universal vote center, including 50 ward early voting locations and the downtown Voting SuperSite at 137 S. State St. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 will be counted as they are returned over the next two weeks.
Timeline
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: Cutoff for 211,657 in-person early votes and 109,215 mail-in ballots returned.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, 11:30 a.m.: 129,784 Chicagoans had voted in person.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, 7 p.m.: Chicago polls close.
Following two weeks: Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 continue to be counted.
Political Context
In-person early voting in Chicago rose about 24 percent over the 2022 Midterm General Election, marking a notable increase from that cycle's baseline. Opposition and dissenting perspectives were not provided in the extraction, so the counter-arguments remain unclear.
Chicago voters who have not yet cast a ballot must do so by 7 p.m. Tuesday at their polling place or a universal vote center. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 will still be counted if returned within the two-week window.
The takeaway
Chicago's early turnout signals heightened voter engagement, and residents can still vote in person until polls close at 7 p.m. today.
What happens next
Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 will continue to be counted over the next two weeks.
Further reading
For more on the local races and ballot measures, see Elections coverage.
Live Poll
Did you vote, or do you plan to vote, in this midterm election?
