CHICAGO (WLS) — The midterm elections are just 15 days away, and, on Monday morning, another batch of early voting sites opened in Chicago and suburban cook county.
Lynn Fleming was one of the first in line at the voting super site at Clark and Lake streets.
“I always vote early; I usually work the polls, and so that also helps that I need to get my vote in out of the way beforehand,” Lynn Fleming said.
And new sites are open this year. In Chicago, early voting sites are open in all 50 wards through Election Day.
In Cook County, 53 locations are now open for early voting.
In DuPage County, they have expanded their options, with 22 early voting sites up and ready to go.
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You can also drop off your mail ballot at the sites in a secure drop box.
Rick Dean did just that.
“I’m a computer scientist, and the only secure vote is pen on paper, so that’s why I voted absentee,” Dean said.
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Voters who cannot vote in-person can still apply for a vote by mail ballot through Nov. 3.
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Just make sure your mail ballot is postmarked by Election Day.
So far in Chicago, thousands of ballots have been cast, and over 29,000 vote by mail ballots have been returned.
Because of some recent changes, election officials stress it’s important to check your polling location if you plan to vote in-person.
“Due to the recent, once-in-a-decade redistricting process, nearly half of Chicago voters may have a new polling place,” said Marisol Hernandez, chair of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
On Monday morning, there was a steady stream of voters wanting to make their decisions count early.
“The way the country is now, not just the country in general, but state, county, city, every vote … counts because all of these races are very close,” early voter Stan Holmes said.
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