Early Voting Is At An All-Time High In Chicago This Year, Beating Obama's '08 Election

By aaroncynic in News on Nov 7, 2016 7:07PM

While the polls open bright and early Tuesday at 6:00 a.m., for those who want to head in early, there’s still time at select locations through 7:00 p.m. on Monday.

The Chicago Board of Elections reported on Sunday that early voting is at an all time high in the city, with 284,506 votes cast. The previous record was set in 2008 during President Obama’s first run with 260,378 early votes cast.

“Chicago regularly leads or comes close to leading the state in Early Voting both as a percentage of voters and as a percentage of turnout,” Jim Allen, a spokesperson for the Board told Politico.

And while this year’s presidential race has been one of the most contentious in recent memory, this year’s ballot in Illinois gives voters the opportunity to make choices for U.S. Senate and House representatives, State Comptroller, the legislature in Springfield and a constitutional amendment. Additionally, Chicagoans are being asked their opinions on a number of referenda, and voters in Cook County have a long list of judges to wade through.

All early voting locations are touch-screen only, due to the need to offer hundreds of ballot styles at all locations. Voters however, receive a verifiable paper confirmation. Should you wish to use a paper ballot, you must vote in your precinct on election day or by mail.

There are 51 early-voting locations in Chicago open until 5 p.m. Monday, and select locations are open until 7 p.m. Lines in some locations are expected to be long, so it’s recommended those early voting budget extra time to cast their ballots.

Here is the full list of early voting locations within the city limits:

Chicago Election Board Annex - 15 W. Washington St - New Loop Super Site with more than 100 touch screens

Ward 1, Goldblatts Building, 1615 W. Chicago

Ward 2, Near North Library, 310 W. Division

Ward 3, Chicago Bee Library, 3647 S. State

Ward 4, Dr. M.L. King Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove

Ward 5, Jackson Park, 6401 S. Stony Island

Ward 6, Whitney Young Library, 7901 S M.L. King Jr. Dr.

Ward 7, Jeffery Manor Library, 2401 E. 100th St.

Ward 8, Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn

Ward 9, Palmer Park, 201 E. 111th St.

Ward 10, Vodak/East Side, 3710 E. 106th St.

Ward 11, District 9 Police, 3120 S. Halsted

Ward 12, McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing

Ward 13, West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St

Ward 14, Archer Heights Library, 5055 S. Archer

Ward 15, Gage Park, 2411 W. 55th St.

Ward 16, Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen

Ward 17, Thurgood Marshall Library, 7506 S. Racine

Ward 18, Wrightwood-Ashburn Library, 8530 S. Kedzie

Ward 19, Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.

Ward 20, Coleman Library, 731 E. 63rd St.

Ward 21, Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S. Halsted

Ward 22, Toman Library, 2708 S. Pulaski

Ward 23, Clearing Library, 6423 W. 63rd Pl.

Ward 24, Douglass Library, 3353 W. 13th St.

Ward 25, Chinatown Library, 2100 S. Wentworth

Ward 26, Humboldt Park Library, 1605 N. Troy

Ward 27, Eckhart Park, 1330 W. Chicago

Ward 28, W. Side Learning Center, 4624 W. Madison

Ward 29, Amundsen Park, 6200 W. Bloomingdale

Ward 30, Kilbourn Park, 3501 N. Kilbourn

Ward 31, Portage Cragin Library, 5108 W. Belmont

Ward 32, Bucktown-Wicker Park Library, 1701 N. Milwaukee

Ward 33, McFetridge Sports Center, 3843 N. California

Ward 34, West Pullman Library, 830 W. 119th St

Ward 35, NEIU-El-Centro, 3390 N. Avondale

Ward 36, West Belmont Library, 3104 N. Narragansett

Ward 37, West Chicago Library, 4856 W. Chicago

Ward 38, Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve

Ward 39, N. Park Village Adm. Bldg., 5801 N. Pulaski

Ward 40, Budlong Woods Library, 5630 N. Lincoln

Ward 41, Roden Library, 6083 N. Northwest Hwy

Ward 42, Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N. State

Ward 43, Lincoln Park Library, 1150 W. Fullerton

Ward 44, Merlo Library, 644 W. Belmont

Ward 45, District 16 Police, 5151 N. Milwaukee

Ward 46, Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson

Ward 47, Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside

Ward 48, Edgewater Library, 6000 N. Broadway

Ward 49, Pottawattomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers

Ward 50, Warren Park, 6601 N. Western