Early voting expands to all of Chicago, suburban Cook County Monday
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Early voting is officially underway across all of Chicago and suburban Cook County, with Illinois' 2022 primary elections just weeks away on June 28.
Until Monday, early voting had only been available to Chicago and Cook County voters at either two downtown locations – the Chicago Board of Elections supersite at 191 N. Clark St., or the Cook County Clerk's office at 69 W. Washington St. – or at five suburban courthouses.
But on Monday, early voting expanded to all 50 wards in Chicago, and 47 sites in the suburbs.
It's been decades since Illinois voters have cast ballots in June, so things are a little different in more ways than one for the 2022 elections.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners said, for the first time, the city's early voting sites will also be polling places on Election Day on June 28.
You can vote at any early voting site in the city, no matter where you live.
Normally, the state holds its statewide primary elections in March, but thanks to legislation passed last year, the 2022 primaries were pushed back until June, to allow for more time to redraw Congressional and state legislative maps based on 2020 Census data that was delayed by the pandemic.
So far, the city has seen more than 2,100 early voters.
City election officials said, despite being 73 precincts short as of Monday, they are hoping availability changes will bump up voter turnout, which is never very high for early voting.
For perspective, in 2014, early voting turnout was 16%.
When it comes to the delay this year, election officials said there are pros and cons.
"It cuts the amount of preparation time for the November election, obviously, but we're already preparing for that election. Otherwise, it's a pretty normal primary," said Chicago Board of Election Commissioners chair Marisel Hernandez. "The turnouts are not historically high. We're trying to get the voters interested."
Lawmakers are concerned residents do not know this is happening and they are working to get the word out.
Monday morning, Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García, along with 12 candidates running in the June primaries, hosted an emergency press conference in Pilsen to get the word out to residents who may not know about early voting.
Early voting locations and hours in Chicago are available on the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website.
Locations and hours in the suburbs are listed on the Cook County Clerk's website.
You can also register to vote at any early voting location. You'll need two forms of ID, one showing your current address.