Can you use your phone while voting? What's allowed while casting your ballot

It can be tricky to know what’s allowed and what’s not while voting, especially when it comes to using your phone.

Phones are allowed while voting, but it depends on what you’re using them for.

If you’re using your phone for notes, that’s OK. You are legally allowed to bring written or printed materials into the voting booth to assist you, which includes items on your phone.

Just don’t take a selfie.

In Illinois, ballot selfies are prohibited by state law. It’s a felony to mark your ballot so another person can see how you voted, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to three years.

According to the Illinois Board of Elections, voting choices are meant to remain confidential, and voters will not receive a copy of their ballot.

“Your vote is secret,” a post from the state board of elections said. “The confidentiality of your selections is protected, even from election officials. This fundamental principle of democracy ensures that your choices remain private while still allowing or transparency in voter participation.”

State election officials have long said it’s “unlikely” anyone would be prosecuted for a ballot selfie, but you should play it safe and take a picture of your “I Voted” sticker or pose next to the polling place sign instead.

Whether this is your first or 50th time voting in Illinois, here’s a look at what else you can and can’t bring into the voting booth with you, and what you are allowed — and not allowed — to do while voting, according to the Illinois Board of Elections:

Do: Bring your ID (if you are registering to vote)

In Illinois, you can register to vote leading up to and on Election Day, but you’ll need to bring two forms of ID with you to the ballot box — one with your address, like a utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, etc.

If you are already registered to vote at your current address, you do not need a government-issued photo ID to vote under Illinois law. But it can be helpful to bring one should any questions about registration, address, signature, or more arise during the voting process.

If you aren’t sure whether or not you’re registered to vote in Illinois, you can check here by entering your name, address and birth date. To register to vote in Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old by the date of the general election and not serving a sentence in a penal institution because of a criminal conviction.

If you’re not registered yet, it’s not too late.

While the deadline to register online was Oct. 23, you can still take advantage of grace period registration in-person during early voting or at your polling place on Election Day. To do so, you have to bring two forms of identification, one with your current address (like a utility bill), and be prepared to cast your ballot at the same time.

If you’ve moved since the last time you voted, you can also use grace period registration to update your registration to your current address. A full list of locations where you can take advantage of grace period registration can be found here.

If you are registered to vote, you do not need to bring an ID or your voter registration card in order to vote.

Don’t: Wear campaign-related clothing

According to the state board of elections, residents wearing any campaign-related clothing or material may be required to remove or cover them while voting. Campaign signs and pamphlets cannot be displayed.

Do: Know that it’s OK to use a Sharpie

According to the state board of elections, sharpie pens are the “preferred ballot marking method for many voting systems,” and there is “no need to be concerned about the use of sharpies at polling places.”

Officials stressed that ballots are designed with “timing tracks” to prevent a sharpie “bleeding through” to the other side becoming an issue.

Don’t: Get out of line, even if the polls close

On Election Day, polls open at 6 a.m. statewide, and will stay open through 7 p.m.

But remember – if you are IN LINE when polls close, you can still vote! So if you’re rushing to your polling place at the last minute, don’t worry if you see a line – and don’t let anyone try to dissuade you from casting your ballot. 

Do: Ask questions if you need help

Multiple poll workers are on site at each polling location to assist voters with questions that come up. They’ll also help direct you where and how to submit your ballot.

Election judges can also provide a list of valid write-in candidates to voters, the state board of elections said.

While millions of people will cast their ballots without any issues, some may be challenged on their voting eligibility, experience voter intimidation, or have trouble at their polling place.

If you run into any issues at all, or simply have questions about the process, you are encouraged to call the Election Protection hotlines at:

• 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683): English
• 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682): Spanish/English
• 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683): Asian languages/English
• 1-844-YallaUS (1-844-925-5287): Arabic/English

The hotline is run by a nonpartisan coalition of more than 100 organizations, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. 

Don’t: Expect results immediately

Live Election Day coverage will air on NBC 5 throughout the evening and at 10 p.m. You can also track up-to-the-minute race results live right here on NBCChicago.com or through the NBC Chicago app, where you can turn on notifications to be the first to know about winners of the biggest races.