Our Chicago: Early Voting Expands in Chicago & Lake County
CHICAGO (WLS) -- We're just over two weeks from election day, but here in the city and across the Chicago area people are already casting their ballots.
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Early voting began in the city on October 3rd. More than 1,200 people voted in person that day. At that time, there were just two downtown sites open.
On Monday October 21st, early voting expands to all 50 wards in Chicago.
That same day, it goes countywide in Lake County, Illinois.
"A lot of our locations have weekend hours as well, to be as convenient as possible for our voters," says Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega.
There will be 18 locations available to any registered Lake County voter.
"The first day we had a line of 12-plus people deep for half the day. And so, we've been very steady," he said.
In Chicago, turnout has also been steady accoridng to Max Bever, the director of public information for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
"We've seen a lot more of our vote by mail ballots come back. As of this weekend, we've had over a quarter of a million vote by mail ballots go out," Bever said.
Ballots can be dropped into secure drop boxes located at each early voting site in Chicago. For those who want to vote in person, they have options starting Monday.
"This is a vote anywhere program. So no matter where you live in the city of Chicago you can go to any of these sites to vote. So if you live in the first ward and want to vote in the 50th you can," Bever said.
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He added that typically about 50% of people vote before election day, either in person or vote by mail.
Vega said his office has sent out over 75,000 vote by mail ballots. 30% have already been returned.
While the presidential race is attracting a lot of the attention, there are other important down ballot races in Chicago and Lake County.
"We have a very contested state's attorney race in Lake County that I think people are plugging in and that will also be a motivator for people to vote. We also have questions of public policy. We have the Lake County Forest Preserve has a big referendum for bonds on the ballot this year."
In Chicago, there's a new race getting a lot of attention. Voters can select members of the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education. Bever said voters should be on the lookout for that contest, at about the middle of the ballot.
For more information Lake County, Illinois:
Early Voting Site Finder: https://maps.lakecountyil.gov/EarlyVotingSites/
Voter Power for Registered Voters: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/351/Voter-Power-for-Registered-Voters
For more information Chicago:
