Early voting in Chicago starts Thursday. Here's what to know
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicagoans can soon head to the polls to vote in the general election.
With Election Day only weeks away, early voting gives neighbors an option to cast their ballot ahead of time to avoid long lines at polling places.
Chicago opened its two central early voting locations on Thursday – the Loop Supersite at 191 N. Clark St., and the early voting center at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners on the 6th floor at 69 W. Washington St. Both sites will be open for early voting every day through Nov. 4, the day before Election Day.
Lakeshie Jones, a member of the Service Employees International Union, marched into the Loop supersite on Thursday with a large group of colleagues and a mission.
"I'm voting today, because I feel that I want a place not only for me and my grandchildren and my great grands, but I want them to live my legacy," she said. "We're not throwing away with the union. We're not trying to lose our Social Security."
Other voters spoke about the importance of voting early.
"I try to come early, because I can't stand the long lines," Joe Zuniga said.
Norvel Thompson said voting is crucial, and he's glad to have voted early.
"I've encouraged my family members to do the same," he said.
In addition to the race for president, voters will be making their picks for congressional races, the Illinois General Assembly, Cook County State's Attorney, and other races.
Illinois ballots also will include three advisory referenda questions:
- "Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, State, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker's official duties?"
- "Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?"
- "Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitations on the number of treatments?"
Political analyst Stephen Maynard Caliendo, a professor of political science at North Central College, said the question regarding penalties for interfering with election workers is an apparent response to allegations former President Donald Trump and his allies tried to overturn the 2020 election results.
"It's sort of a symbolic gesture to say that our democracy is sacred, and that we ought not be interfering in the work that's being done by these very important public service workers," he said.
Caliendo said such advisory referenda don't become law if approved by voters, but can be used by elected officials to bolster arguments in favor of possible legislation.
In Illinois, early voting begins 40 days before an election, so most of the state, including every suburban Chicago county in northeastern Illinois, started accepting ballots on Sept. 26.
Voters in Chicago and suburban Cook County had to wait a few extra days to cast their ballots in person at the two Loop sites. Another 50 early voting sites will open across the city on Oct. 21, one early voting location for each ward. For a full list of early voting locations and hours in Chicago, click here.
For suburban Cook County residents, early voting starts at 9 a.m. on Oct. 9. Voters can cast their ballots at all five circuit courthouses across the county and the county clerk's office downtown starting on Oct. 9.
In DuPage County, voter turnout on day one of early voting broke records, with nearly double that of the 2020 general election. The county clerk says DuPage County is on track to have a big turnout overall for the presidential election.
For those living in Indiana, early voting starts on Oct. 8.
