We Are SO Excited!!!
By Sam Bakken in News on Oct 29, 2004 5:38PM
Wee! Ohmigod-Ohmigod-Ohmigod! Yee-Haw! EEEEEEEEEEEEE! We can hardly control ourselves. The nation is charged. Can't you feel it? THE big day is coming!
On Chicagoist this weekend (we know your busy, but we will post throughout the weekend so you should check back) and next week we'll be expanding our election coverage. We'll continue and wrap up our series on the ballot this weekend and this Chicagoist will be running around to various polling places in Chicago on Tuesday to take pictures and hopefully report on something.
In the meantime, here are ten (plus one from Chicagoist so eleven)things you may not know about voting in Chicago from the Citizens Information Service ("...a non-profit, non-partisan organization that helps voters and future voters make sense of our policy and election process."):
1. Chicagoist added this one. Ex-convicts can vote in Illinois.
2. If you did not receive a voter registration card in the mail, you can still go to your local polling place on Election Day. If your name does not appear on the books, ask for a provisional ballot.
3. You should bring a valid I.D. showing your current address to your polling place. This is a smart safeguard for every voter, but is especially important for first-time voters who have registered by mail who may be required to present I.D. in order to vote.
4. Polling places are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. in Chicago and the suburbs. As long as you are in line before 7 p.m., the poll workers should allow you to vote.
5. If you have a disability, you¹re allowed to bring someone into the voting booth to assist you.
6. If you make a mistake or change your mind while voting, you can request a new ballot? Just go to one of the election judges, explain that you¹ve spoiled your ballot, and ask for a fresh ballot.
7. If you experience Election Day problems, there¹s a place to turn for help. The Election Protection Coalition has set up a toll-free Election Day hotline to provide advice to voters and log any complaints. The hotline number is 1-866-Our-Vote.
8. If you are registered to vote in Chicago you can find your polling place on-line. Go to www.chicagoelections.com and select "Click here for voter information." Or, call Citizens Information Service at (312) 939-4636 to find your correct polling place.
9. Extra help is available for voters who don¹t speak English. Federal law requires that ballots and voter instruction be available in Spanish and Chinese. In addition, every polling place in Chicago is given a booklet called "We Speak Your Language," which gives voter instruction in 15 languages.
10. You don¹t need to be afraid to ask for help when you vote. Just tell the poll workers that you need help voting. Someone will come to your aid.
11. You¹re allowed to bring sample ballots or newspaper endorsements into the voting booth with you. However, you may not engage in "electioneering" while in the voting area or within 100 feet of the entrance. This means you cannot display, wear or hand out any campaign buttons, stickers, literature, etc.