Obamas stop to cast early ballots at Chicago supersite; spokesman says early voting numbers are promising
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made a few surprise stops in Chicago on Monday.
One stop was at a downtown polling place – it was quick and unannounced. As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, the Obamas both cast their ballots for the November midterm elections at Clark and Lake streets downtown – one of two Chicago polling locations now open to voters.
The Obamas still own their home in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood. Their stop to vote took all of 15 minutes, but still managed to draw a crowd.
"I do think, you know, the Obamas visiting the early voting site lets voters know that it's there, it's open – it's ready for their early votes," said Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever.
The Clark and Lake supersite and the Chicago Board of Elections Office at 69 W. Washington St. have been open to any Chicago voter since Oct. 7. In a week, early voting sites will open in all 50 wards.
Even though it is early, Bever said early voting numbers suggest promising election turnout overall.
"That's what we're seeing in Chicago already – we're seeing a healthier early vote, but especially a healthier vote-by-mail turnout so far, comparatively to June," Bever said.
Still, he said also say so far, it has been a sluggish start to early voting in the city.
So far, Bever said 2,037 people have cast ballots. That is about twice as many as the same period for the June primary.
"Unfortunately, that wasn't a very high bar to clear," he said. "The election on June 28 was the second lowest reported turnout in the city of Chicago."
Meanwhile, 11,817 people have voted by mail. But 181,234 people have applied to vote by mail. Bever said that is significant.
"That is the second largest pool of vote-by-mail applications that we've ever seen in the city of Chicago," Bever said.
It is second only to applications for the 2020 November election – which is not surprising, because it was a presidential election and took place during the height of the pandemic.
The vote-by-mail deadline is Nov. 3.
Meanwhile, for voters waiting to cast their ballots on Election Day Nov. 8, nearly half will have new polling places. This is the result of redistricting and precinct consolidation.
"A lot of work that went into this process was related to not sending voters farther out of their way related to their polling places," Bever said.
Historically, Election Day in Chicago also brings some problems – like poling places with no judges. But Bever says despite early concerns of a shortage, he believes Chicago polling places will be fully staffed Nov. 8.
"We're getting close to hitting that target. We still need as many election judges as we can get," Bever said. "We hope to overstaff for November 8 to get ahead of any resignations."
Bever said the board has also mailed out new voter cards and information to voters for the November election. But if you're still wondering if your polling place has changed, there are other ways to find that out.
Chicago voters who want to know if they have a new polling place or where it is can go to chicagoelections.gov or call (312) 269-7900.
Neither the former president nor the former first lady made any comments during their voting stop. In addition to voting, the Obamas each surprised Chicago youth at school-related events.
Former President Obama surprised more than 60 high school students at the 167 Green Street development, at 167 N. Green St. in the Fulton Market District, for a day of activity and discussion. The students participated in activities from yoga and meditation to art therapy and even a hair product creation tutorial, according to the Obama Foundation.
Former President Obama also joined a panel with Bulls player Ayo Dosunmu, Bulls creative strategy and design advisor Don C, Butler College Prep sophomore Adeeb Borden, and North Lawndale College Prep sophomore Aniya Hill. Students shared their experiences and heard from the panelists on such subjects as the importance of using community resources and organizations to discover their purpose.
Mrs. Obama visited student at Hyde Park Academy High School in the Woodlawn neighborhood during an all-school assembly that kicked off the Obama Foundation Futures Series for the 2022-2023 school year. The series exposes students to the stories, experiences, and advice of leaders across numerous industries.
Joining Mrs. Obama onstage in the school auditorium were senior Zaida Soumanou, and junior Micaela Turner. They participated in an hour-long discussion answering students' questions about hardships, success, and purpose, according to the Obama Foundation.
Before the schoolwide event, Mrs. Obama sat down with 10 girls from the Working on Womanhood program to discuss wellbeing and the development of a healthy sense of self. The organization is a mentoring program for girls in seventh grade from high school who have been exposed to traumatic stressors in high-risk communities, according to the Obama Foundation.