The Sixth Ward: Final Day to register to vote -- even for 17 year olds!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Final Day to register to vote -- even for 17 year olds!

TODAY is the deadline to register to vote for the March 18 primaries! There are Special Hours for Voter Registration today, Tues., Feb 18 from 9 am to Midnight, and the Chicago Board of Elections (69 W. Washington) . And if you are 17 but turn 18 by the time of November 4 (the general election), you CAN vote in this primary.

This is great for Chicago, because where we live, the Democratic Primary IS the general election, where change can actually happen. If you vote in November, may of our local offices will have already been decided.
Here's the official press release from the Chicago Board of Elections:

Tues., Feb. 18 is Deadline to Register to Vote

The Chicago Election Board’s special hours for last-minute voter registration at
69 W. Washington St. in Chicago:

Sun., Feb. 16 – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mon., Feb. 17 – Presidents Day – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tues., Feb. 18 – 9 a.m. to Midnight

Tues., Feb. 18 is the deadline to register to vote in Illinois’ March 18 Primary
Election. The Chicago Election Board will be open at 69 W. Washington St. until midnight
on Tues., Feb. 18 to accept registrations from new voters and those who need to update
their address records.

“For the first time in Illinois history, voter registration is open to most 17-year-olds.
Under a new state law, U.S. citizens who were born on or before Nov. 4, 1996 are eligible
to register and cast ballots in the March 18 Primary, even if they are still 17 on Election
Day,” said Langdon D. Neal, Chairman of the Chicago Election Board. “We hope to see
many young voters make history at this election.”

Those who already are registered need not act. Chicagoans may check their voter
status at chicagoelections.com.

However, those registering for the first time and those who need to update their
name or address records should visit the Election Board or submit a mail-in form
postmarked by Feb. 18. The mail-in form is available at chicagoelections.com.

To register to vote, a person must be: a U.S. citizen; at least 18 years of age by
Nov. 4, 2014; and a resident of the precinct at least 30 days before the election.
From Feb. 19 through March 15, Chicagoans may still register or update their
records through the “Grace Period” program. But during the “Grace Period,” voters must
register in person at the Election Board and vote during the same visit. “Grace Period”
voters cannot cast ballots in their home precincts on Election Day.