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
A sign alerts residents to an early voting site where they can cast ballots for the November 8 election on October 18, 2016 in Chicago. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.
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