Final preparations underway for Women's March to the Polls Saturday

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thousands are expected to arrive downtown Saturday for this year's Women's March.

"Our intention is to direct women's energy towards the elections in 2018. We except women's voices to change outcomes in the elections this year," said Claire Shingler, Executive Director of the Women's March in Chicago.

The march will begin at 11 a.m. at Congress Parkway and Columbus Drive in the Loop. Participants will march west on Jackson Boulevard, then north on Clark Street to Federal Plaza.

A total of 250,000 people participated in last year's march. The crowd was too large to march as planned.

"We're going out on the street because we understand that we can make a difference by voting, by being on street and making voices heard," said marcher Paul Ziliak.

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Women's March on Chicago in Grant Park on January 21, 2017.

Marcy Huttas

Saturday's march has been titled "A March to the Polls."

Retired Oak Park teacher Sue Sporte said she had never considered herself to be an activist, but she participated in last year's Women's March in Washington, D.C. and will attend Saturday's march in Chicago.

Logan Square business Busy Beaver Button Company has been named the official button maker for the March. Director of Operations Joel Carter plans to be in Grant Park tomorrow.

STREET CLOSURES

10 p.m. Friday through 2 p.m. Saturday

--Columbus Drive, from Monroe Street to Balbo Drive

--Jackson Boulevard from Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue.

--Westbound lane of Congress Parkway between Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue.

SCHEDULED SPEAKERS

Tahera Ahmad, Associate Chaplain and Director of Interfaith engagement, Northwestern University; Bridget Gainer, Cook County commissioner; Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General; Quiana McKenzie, Emily's List regional campaign finance advisor; Channyn Lynne Parker, transgender activist; Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky; Congressman Bill Foster; Chakena Sims, Chicago Votes board member; Tom Steyer, NextGen America founder/president; K. Sujata, Chicago Foundation of Women president/CEO; Celina Villanueva, New Americans Democracy Project and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Suzette Wright, former Chicago Ford Assembly Plant employee; Kim Foxx, Cook County state's attorney; Anna Valencia, Chicago city clerk; Asha Binbek, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations - CAIR; and Michelle Mbekeani-Wiley, of the League of Women Voters.

For more information, visit: http://womens121marchonchicago.org/