One City, Two Counties: How Naperville Ballots Split Between DuPage and Will
Naperville voters share a city hall but not an election office, and Tuesday's ballot is administered by two different county clerks.
Naperville is one city with two election administrators. The city spans DuPage and Will counties, which means a general election here is really two elections run side by side: the DuPage County Clerk runs the election for Naperville voters in DuPage County, and the Will County Clerk runs it for Naperville voters in Will County.
For voters, the practical consequences are simple but worth knowing before Tuesday. Your polling place, your early voting options and the office that handles your mail ballot all follow your county, not your city. Two neighbors on the same street can occasionally fall on different sides of the county line and deal with different clerks.
The rules of voting are the same on both sides of the line. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and anyone in line by 7 p.m. may vote. Registered voters generally do not need to show ID, though ID can be required for first-time voters who registered by mail without proof of identity, for same-day registration — which takes two forms of ID, one showing a current address — or if eligibility is challenged. Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.
What is on the ballot also crosses the line in both directions: voters on Tuesday decide federal, state and local races, and the mix of local contests reflects the layered map of a city that sits in two counties and multiple townships and districts.
The safest habit for a Naperville voter is to confirm details with your own county clerk or through the Illinois State Board of Elections, using your home address. That check takes a minute, works for both counties, and removes the one Election Day surprise no voter wants — arriving at the wrong place.
