Chicago Mayoral Election 2023: Early voter turnout high as voting sites expand

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Voters in Chicago now have a lot more options for casting their ballot in the upcoming election. Early voting sites opened up in all 50 wards across the city on Monday.

Voters took advantage of the city holiday, the good weather and having polling places now open in every ward.

"I work for the city, it's a holiday so I could come and I'm off today, so it's easy," voter David Guillams said.

With the election now just two weeks away, there seems to be significant interest driven by the race for mayor with nine candidates on the ballot.

As of Sunday night, 41,845 votes had been cast, far outpacing this point four years ago, when only 2,452 people had early voted.

The Chicago Board of Elections says typical turnout for municipal elections is around 35 or 36%, so this year's early totals are very encouraging.

"With this turnout so far, if it keeps up, we're looking that we might get into the 40%," said Max Bever, Chicago Board of Elections. "We might get that 2011 42% turnout or even higher. Maybe we can get to that midterm average of around 46%."

The vast majority of the early voting is being driven by mail-in ballots, a sign that voters are becoming much more comfortable with casting ballots that way.

People who do want to vote early can now go to any polling place they want, whatever is most convenient for them. And the Board of Elections is encouraging voters to take advantage of this opportunity.

And another alderman who supported Mayor Lori Lightfoot four years ago is now endorsing Paul Vallas.

"The city's been heading in the wrong direction, and I think it's time for us to get a problem solver on the 5th floor of City Hall," said Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward. "We're at a crossroads as a city and we need some real solutions, and I think Paul Vallas has proven leadership."

People will also decide who will represent their ward as alderperson, among other local races.

People can vote at any early voting site in Chicago, no matter where they live in the city. You can also drop off your vote-by-mail ballot at any ward site.

Early voting ward sites:

Ward 1 - Goldblatt's Building, 1615 W. Chicago Ave.

Ward 2 - Near North Library, 310 W. Division St.

Ward 3 - Dawson Technical Institute, 3901 S. State St.

Ward 4 - Dr. Martin Luther King Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.

Ward 5 - Southside YMCA, 6330 S. Stony Island Ave.

Ward 6 - Whitney Young Library, 415 E. 79th St.

Ward 7 - Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St.

Ward 8 - Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.

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

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

Ward 11 - McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave.

Ward 12 - McKinley Park Library, 1915 W. 35th St.

Ward 13 - Clearing Branch Library, 6423 W. 63rd Pl.

Ward 14 - Archer Heights Library, 5055 S. Archer Ave.

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

Ward 16 - Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave.

Ward 17 - Thurgood Marshall Library, 7506 S. Racine Ave.

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

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

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

Ward 21 - West Pullman Library, 830 W. 119th St.

Ward 22 - Toman Library, 2708 S. Pulaski Rd.

Ward 23 - Hall - St Faustina Kowalska Parish, 5157 S. McVicker Ave.

Ward 24 - St. Agatha Catholic Parish, 3151 W. Douglas Ave.

Ward 25 - Rudy Lozano Library, 1805 S. Loomis St.

Ward 26 - Humboldt Park Library, 1605 N. Troy St.

Ward 27 - Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph Ave.

Ward 28 - Westside Learning Center, 4624 W. Madison St.

Ward 29 - Amundsen Park, 6200 W. Bloomingdale Ave.

Ward 30 - Kilbourn Park, 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave.

Ward 31 - Portage Cragin Library. 5108 W. Belmont Ave.

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

Ward 33 - American Indian Center, 3401 W. Ainsle St.

Ward 34 - UIC Student Center, 750 S. Halsted St.

Ward 35 - Northeastern IL University El Centro, 3390 N. Avondale Ave.

Ward 36 - West Belmont Library, 3104 N. Narrangansett Ave.

Ward 37 - West Chicago Library, 4856 W. Chicago Ave.

Ward 38 - Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Dr.

Ward 39 - North Park Village Admin Bldg, 5801 N. Pulaski

Ward 40 - Budlong Wood Library, 5630 N. Lincoln Ave.

Ward 41 - Roden Library, 6083 N. Northwest Hw.

Ward 42 - Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St.

Ward 43 - Lincoln Park Branch Library, 1150 W. Fullerton Ave.

Ward 44 - Merlo Library, 644 W. Belmont Ave.

Ward 45 - Kolping Society of Chicago, 5826 N. Elston Ave.

Ward 46 - Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave.

Ward 47 - Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.

Ward 48 - Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway St.

Ward 49 - Willye B White Park, 1610 W. Howard St.

Ward 50 - Northtown Library, 6800 N. Western Ave.