Park Forest Village Hall will serve as an early voting site for the upcoming Illinois primary election, providing Cook County residents with expanded access ahead of Election Day on March 17.

Early voting will take place March 2 through March 16 in the Board Conference Room at Village Hall. Voting will be available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Election officials will have access to the building one hour before voting begins each day to prepare polling equipment and materials.

The 2026 Illinois primary features several high-profile races. Voters will weigh in on party nominees in the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. On the Republican side, candidates are competing in a primary contest to determine who will challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the fall election.

Several congressional seats are also drawing attention as longtime incumbents are not seeking reelection. U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi are running for Senate, while Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis are retiring from Congress.

At the county level, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle faces a Democratic primary challenge from Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly.

Residents of Park Forest who live in Will County may cast their ballots at either the Governors State University Hantack House, 1 University Parkway in University Park, or at Crete Township, 1367 Wood St. in Crete. Early voting at Governors State University will take place March 2 through March 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Crete Township will host early voting March 9 through March 13 during the same hours.

Residents who are not yet registered to vote still have time. The deadline for regular voter registration is Feb. 17. Online registration is available through March 1 via the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

To register in Illinois, individuals must be U.S. citizens, at least 17 years old by the primary (and 18 by the general election), have lived in their precinct for at least 30 days prior to Election Day, not be serving a sentence in a penal institution, and not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

Those who miss the registration deadlines may take advantage of grace period registration, which continues through Election Day. Voters may register and cast a ballot on the same day at early voting sites or at designated polling places. Two forms of identification are required, including one that shows the voter’s current address.

Residents can check their registration status or find additional information on the Illinois State Board of Elections' website.