Lake County, Illinois
Lake County, Illinois voter information: how to register, check your status, see your sample ballot and contact your local election office. Home to about 719,000 people, Lake County ranks 3rd in population among Illinois's 102 counties. In Illinois, elections are run by local election authorities: usually the county clerk, or a board of election commissioners in some cities and counties.
Next Election
March 21, 2028
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register by mail at least 28 days before an election or online until 16 days before; grace-period and same-day registration are also available in person through Election Day.
Why Voting Matters
Why does voting matter in Lake County? Because every eligible voter here has exactly the same power at the ballot box: one vote. The next election for Lake County voters is Illinois's general primary on March 21, 2028; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Many Lake County jobs are in manufacturing and wholesale trade, so decisions about manufacturing jobs and trade and roads hit close to home.
In the 2024 presidential election, about 309,000 ballots were cast in Lake County, down about 7% from 334,000 in 2020. With roughly 558,000 adults living in the county, that is around 55% of adult residents, close to the statewide rate of about 56%.
Around 249,000 adults here did not vote for president. Some aren't eligible, yet the rest are untapped power: one more voter in every 20 of them would mean about 12,400 extra Lake County ballots, enough to change the result in many close contests.
Spread over about 444 square miles, Lake County averages roughly 1,619 residents per square mile, one of the denser places in Illinois. The county is home to about 5.7% of Illinois's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Lake County include 60002, 60010, 60011, 60013, 60015, 60020, 60021 and 60030, plus 33 more. Check that your registration is current, look up your sample ballot, and make a plan to vote. Then ask a friend or family member in Lake County to do the same.
Voter Assistance Resources
Local election help in Lake County: In Illinois, elections are run by local election authorities: usually the county clerk, or a board of election commissioners in some cities and counties. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Lake County election authority (county clerk or board of election commissioners).
Statewide directory, Illinois State Board of Elections' election authorities list:
https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionAuthorities.aspx
See your sample ballot. Illinois election authorities list (your local election authority posts sample ballots):
https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/ElectionAuthorities.aspx
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
To ask a question or report a problem at the polls, call or text Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), a free nonpartisan hotline. For help in Spanish call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for Asian languages call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Lake County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Equip for Equality, Illinois's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (800) 537-2632. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our Illinois voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Lake County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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