Illinois Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in Illinois, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the Illinois voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney General | — | 5% |
| Governor, Lieutenant Governor | — | 5% |
| State Senator, State Representative | — | 5% |
| U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative | — | 5% |
| Governor | — | 5% |
| Board of Education Member (At-Large) | 2,500 | — |
| Board of Education Member | 500 | — |
2026 petition deadlines
Attorney General; Governor, Lieutenant Governor; State Senator, State Representative; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative
- Primary petition opens:
- September 18, 2025
- Primary petition deadline:
- November 24, 2025
- Primary election:
- March 17, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
Board of Education Member (At-Large); Board of Education Member
- General petition opens:
- February 25, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- May 26, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeIllinois petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Attorney General: 5,000 signatures statewide
Primary petition — deadline rules
Nomination petitions filed in late November (varies by year)
General petition — signature rules
Independent candidates need 25,000 signatures statewide
Primary petition — signature rules
Governor: 5,000 signatures statewide including at least 500 from each of three separate congressional districts
Primary petition — signature rules
State Senate: 1,000 signatures; State Rep: 500 signatures
Primary petition — signature rules
US House: 600 signatures or 0.5% of qualified primary voters; US Senate: 5,000 signatures
General petition — signature rules
The citywide Board President candidate must gather at least 2,500 valid signatures from registered voters anywhere within Chicago. Petitions may be circulated starting February 25, 2026 and must be filed with the Chicago Board of Elections between May 18–26, 2026.
General petition — signature rules
Candidates must gather at least 500 valid signatures from registered voters within their specific subdistrict (one of 20 subdistricts: 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, or 10B). Petitions may be circulated starting February 25, 2026 and must be filed with the Chicago Board of Elections between May 18–26, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in Illinois?
Illinois signature requirements vary by office. Attorney General: 5% of enrolled voters; Governor, Lieutenant Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; State Senator, State Representative: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in Illinois?
For the 2026 cycle in Illinois, the primary petition deadline is November 24, 2025. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate Illinois petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the Illinois voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on February 26, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.