Deerfield 2026 IL Primary Voters Guide

DEERFIELD, IL — Early voting is underway with Illinois Primary Election Day a little over a week away on March 17. Both Democratic and Republican candidates are making their final pushes in hopes of being chosen to represent their party in November's General Election.

For Deerfield residents, early voting is taking place at Deerspring Pool, 200 Deerfield Road. The hours and dates to early vote are:

March 2 through March 14

• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday
• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
• Closed on Sunday

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

If you're not sure if you're registered to vote, you can check online. If you're not registered, even though online voter registration has closed, you can still register in person the same day you vote, whether you vote early or on Election Day.

To register in person, you'll need to bring two forms of ID or proof of residency, including a passport, driver's license, lease or mortgage. At least one form of ID must list your current address.

RELATED: IL 2026 Primary Election Guide — Who's Running, What You Need To Know

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, if you want to vote by mail, you must apply online or in person by 5 p.m. on March 12 through your county's election authority. Find vote-by-mail ballot applications here:

• Suburban Cook County
• Lake County

Ballots must be postmarked or placed in a dropbox by Election Day, March 17, to count.

If you plan to vote on Election Day and don't know your polling place, you can find it here. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?

There are number of statewide races being contested in the primary, including governor, U.S. Senate, Secretary of State and Comptroller. Check out our IL 2026 Primary Election Guide for more on those races.

For Deerfield residents, in addition to the aforementioned races, votes will be deciding whether to say yes or no to a $87 million referendum question.

After months of gathering community feedback and three years of planning, the Deerfield District 109 Board of Education is asking taxpayers to approve the referendum intended to address facility needs at the school buildings in the district.

RELATED: Voters To Weigh In On $87.8M Referendum For Deerfield District 109

According to officials, if the referendum is approved, the tax impact of $359 per $10,000 of property taxes would span 25 years, down from the original number proposed of $536 per $10,000 of property taxes that had been shared with the community throughout the fall. The increase would appear on property tax bills beginning with the issuance of referendum bonds, projected for 2027.

The school board voted unanimously to place the revised referendum on the ballot at its Dec. 18, 2026 meeting.

Last month, the referendum got the backing of the Deerfield Education Association, which is composed of educators and teachers who work directly with students in District 109. The organization said in its endorsement of the referendum, provided to Patch by Rebecca Frase, president of DEA, that high-quality learning environments are "essential for meeting the needs of all learners." The proposed referendum aims to replace and improve aging school buildings. These new spaces would be designed to support current educational practices, student safety, and accessibility.

RELATED: Teacher Union Supporting $87.8M Referendum For Deerfield District 109