Thousands register to vote
ELECTION '08 | City projects 12,000 sign up on final day -- usually 1,000
Folks swarmed downtown election offices in record numbers Tuesday -- the last chance to register to vote at your local polling place in the Nov. 4 presidential election.
"Typically on the last day of voter registration maybe we see 1,000 voter registrations. Based on morning traffic, we're projecting 12,000 today," said Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
(Brian Jackson/Sun-Times)
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In the week before the February presidential primary there were about 31,000 voter registrations. This week, Allen expects the city will handle nearly 50,000.
"It's like we're throwing a party and everybody wants to come," he said.
Susan Dortch of Chicago, who registered to vote downtown Tuesday, said the slumping economy is "waking people up that they've got to vote" this time around.
"I'm making sure my vote is heard," Dortch said. "It's time to make history. It's up to us."
Last-minute registration in Cook County suburbs also increased. On Tuesday, the Cook County clerk's office handled 13,000 voter registration forms downtown, pushing the total over 40,000 since Oct. 1. That's already more registrations than before the 2004 election and Tuesday "was the busiest day yet," spokeswoman Courtney Greve said.
Starting today, Illinois residents can still register under a "grace period" that lasts until Oct. 21, but they must then cast their ballot at the election authority.
Chicago Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) picked up extra registration forms at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners' office because registrars for her ward organization signed up so many voters, they ran out of forms.
"A lot of people are really excited to vote in this election, and for the first time," said Mitts, who said Barack Obama's candidacy has driven interest in the election.