Registration for Tuesday’s election is closed, but you can register for future elections starting Wednesday. Should there be an April 1 runoff race that you want to cast a vote for, you have to register to vote for that election before March 4.
You can register at the Chicago election office (69 W. Washington St.), at any Chicago public library branch or through volunteer deputy registrars. You can also download a form from the elections Web site and mail it in.
If you have moved, you have to update your information, either by completing the back of your voter identification card and mailing it to the board of election, or submitting a change of address card.
So, where did all these judges come from?
Election judges run the show at each of the 2,706 precincts in the city. There are at least five election judges, some Republican, some Democrat, at each polling place to keep an eye on things. You also may see poll-watchers who monitor the election for candidates or organizations.
Covering the basics for Tuesday
Because there were some changes last year through redistricting, every registered voter should have received notice in the mail of their precinct, ward and polling place. If you have a question about where to vote, check the city election Web site at www.chicagoelections.com or call 312-269-7900.
The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
It’s a good idea to bring ID in case there is any problem, but you should otherwise be able to just sign your name to pick up your ballot. This year, the ballot is printed in English, Spanish and Chinese.
The city voters’ bill of rights guarantees voters control of their ballots at all times and complete privacy when voting. After making selections at the booth, each voter then feeds his or her own ballot into the ballot counter.
The fairly new “second-chance” balloting system screens for over-votes (voting for more than one candidate for the same office) or under-votes (voting for none of the candidates). If you have done either, you will be able to correct the ballot.
Source: Chicago Board of Elections
Vote early …
If you have a good reason for not being in the city to vote on Election Day, you can cast an absentee ballot. But you have to have a legitimate reason, such as serving in the military, being away at college, observing a religious holiday or working as an election official. You can cast an absentee ballot at the election office up until Monday night.
REDEYE ON THE SPOT
“People died to actually get the right to vote. … Do you think you have a right to complain about it if you didn’t take five minutes and punch a little card? So many people complain but won’t participate in our government.”
— Patrick Cummings, 20
Columbia College sophomore, votes every election
“I think voting is really important, and I would like to have some say, but I don’t want to if I don’t know what the candidates are saying. I don’t watch the news, and I think I should know about the candidates before I vote.”
“I think it’s a big deal to be making that decision; I might be the deciding factor and I want to make sure I’m making the right decision.”
— Josh Holden, 19
Roosevelt University sophomore, has never voted
“I vote because that is why our country is so great; every single person eligible to vote gets an equal vote regardless of class, nationality, religion, etc.”
“We live in a democratic nation. Our government is supposed to represent the majority of the people fairly. In order to do this, everyone should vote so they will be counted and the candidate that gets the most votes will win.”
— Matthew Cassel, 20
Columbia College junior, always votes
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CHICAGO RACES
Elected offices
Mayor
Richard M. Daley
Paul L. Jakes Jr.
Patricia McAllister
Joseph McAfee
Clerk
James Laski Jr.
Treasurer
Judith C. Rice
City Council
Ward 1
Howard L. Crawford Jr.
Manuel “Manny” Flores
Jesse D. Granato
Ward 2
Madeline L. Haithcock
Willie May
Jerome J. (Jerry) Green
Galen L. McGee
Bobby R. Morris
Eddie Winters
Ward 3
Dorothy J. Tillman
Pat Dowell
Dorothy Olivier-Harris
Kenneth “Kenny” Sawyer
Ward 4
Norman H. Bolden
Toni Preckwinkle
Ward 5
Anthony T. Blair
Carolyn Hightower Chalmers
Leslie A. Hairston
Oscar Worrill
Ward 6
Eugene C. Davis
Freddrenna M. Lyle
Eli Washington
Willye B. White
Ward 7
William M. Beavers
Ward 8
James L. Daniels
John Davis
Derrick T. Prince
Todd H. Stroger
Shannon Washington
Ward 9
Anthony A. Beale
Reginald C. Hughes
Necole K. Muhammad
Harold “Noonie” Ward
Ward 10
John A. Pope
Ward 11
James A. Balcer
Carl A. Segvich
Ward 12
Jose I. “Chavelo” Rodriguez
George A. Cardenas
Rafael “Ray” Frias
Ward 13
Frank J. Olivo
Ward 14
Edward M. Burke
Ward 15
Vesta Lewis Dixon
Bob Love
Sandra L. Mallory
Michael Smith
Theodore “Ted” Thomas
Livia Villarreal
Ward 16
Hal E. Baskin
Shirley A. Coleman
Arness Dancy
Joann Thompson
Ward 17
Tyrone De Andre Hawthorne
Larry A. Minter Jr
Latasha R. Thomas
Ward 18
Richard Brown
Thomas W. Murphy
Lavese A. Smith
Sydney A. Washington
Ward 19
Joseph L. Kennedy
Virginia A. Rugai
John Somerville
Ward 20
Kimberly Allen-Jones
Howard Kenner
Donna Jean Ramey
Arenda Troutman
Lydia L. Watts
Ward 21
Kevin Ammons
Howard B. Brookins Jr.
Leonard DeVille
Barbara Jones (B.J.)
Woody T. Rembert
Adrienne A. Smith
Ward 22
Ricardo Munoz
Ward 23
Vidal Vasquez
Michael R. Zalewski
Ward 24
Joe Ann Bradley
Michael D. Chandler
Dennis Deer
Bruce L. Jackson
Shirley A. Johnson
Micheal Outley
Ward 25
Ambrosio Medrano
Daniel S. Solis
Antonio Zotta
Ward 26
Elida M. Cruz
Billy Ocasio
Ward 27
Walter Burnett Jr.
Earnest L. Thomas
Ward 28
Ed H. Smith
Ward 29
Isaac “Ike” Sims Carothers
Marshall E. Hatch Sr.
Wayne A. Strnad
Ward 30
Joseph L. “Jose” Pagan
Ariel E. Reboyras
Miguel Sotomayor
Julio Vargas
Ward 31
Regner “Ray” Suarez
Ward 32
Ted Matlak
Jay Stone
Ward 33
Deb Gordils
Richard F. Mell
Ward 34
Carrie M. Austin
Tiffany B. Burrell
Harry Dodson
Henry D. Moses
Dorothy J. Simmons
Ward 35
Vilma Colom
Rey Colon
Ward 36
William J.P. Banks
Ward 37
Victor Guzman
Arlene P. Jones
Emma M. Mitts
Minerva Orozco
Secdonia Terry
Ward 38
Thomas R. Allen
Chester R. Hornowski
Ward 39
Margaret Laurino
Ward 40
Patrick J. O’Connor
Ward 41
Shari Marie Centrone
Wayne C. Dembowski
Brian G. Doherty
Mike Marzullo
Gloria Jean Sykes
Ward 42
Burton F. Natarus
Richard R. Gordon
Ward 43
Vi Daley
Ward 44
Matthew A. Fordham
Rick Ingram
Karen Kennedy (Erroneous material as published has been deleted at this point.)
Dean Maragos
Thomas M. Tunney
Ward 45
Bruce A. Best
Pete Conway
Patrick J. Levar
Ward 46
Helen Shiller
Sandra M. Reed
Ward 47
John J. “Jack” Lydon
Gene Schulter
Ward 48
Mary Ann Smith
Kurt James Eckhardt
Ward 49
Tom Bradley
Michael J. Harrington
Joe Moore
Ward 50
Thomas T. Morris
Bernard L. Stone
