When are the 2015 Chicago elections?
Tuesday, April 7, 2015 What’s a runoff election? In order to win an elected position in the 2015 Municipal Elections, a candidate must have received a majority, or more than 50 percent, of the votes in the February 24 election. If no candidate won on February 24, the top two candidates will compete in a run-off election on April 7, 2015. What positions are being filled in the 2015 Municipal Elections?
- Mayor of Chicago
- 18 Aldermanic positions:
- 2nd Ward: Alyx Pattison and Brian Hopkins.
- 7th Ward: Natashia Holmes and Gregory Mitchell.
- 10th Ward: John Pope and Susan Sadlowski Garza.
- 11th Ward: John Kozlar and Patrick Daley Thompson.
- 15th Ward: Raymond Lopez and Rafael Yanez.
- 16th Ward: Toni Foulkes and Stephanie Coleman.
- 18th Ward: Derrick Curtis and Lona Lane.
- 20th Ward: Kevin Bailey and Willie Cochran.
- 21st Ward: Howard B. Brookins, Jr. and Marvin McNeil.
- 24th Ward: Vetress Boyce and Michael Scott, Jr.
- 29th Ward: Deborah Graham and Chris Taliaferro.
- 31st Ward: Milagros Santiago and Ray Suarez.
- 36th Ward: Omar Aquino and Gilbert Villegas.
- 37th Ward: Emma Mitts and Tara Stamps.
- 41st Ward: Mary O’Connor and Anthony Napolitano.
- 43rd Ward: Michele Smith and Caroline Vickrey.
- 45th Ward: John Arena and John Garrido.
- 46th Ward: James Cappleman and Amy Crawford.
Am I registered to vote in Chicago? Enter your last name and address here. If you’re registered, it will also give you your polling place location and absentee ballot options. Where is my polling place? Enter your last name and address here, and it will tell you where to vote. Or, enter an address without a last name here. Remember – your vote won’t count if you vote in the wrong precinct. If you’ve moved since the last election, make sure you update your registration during the Grace Period (see below). What time are the polls open in Chicago? 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Can I vote early? For all registered voters, early voting is available March 23- April 4, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can vote early at the Chicago Board of Elections (69 W. Washington, Sixth Floor), or at any ward’s early voting location, found here. To vote early, you must bring government-issued photo ID (a driver’s license, state ID card, or passport). What’s Grace Period Registration and Voting? Does that mean I can still register and vote even though I missed the March 10 registration deadline? Yes. If you missed the March 10 registration deadline, you can register and vote in person during “grace period voting” at all 51 early voting locations March 23 – April 4. Locations and hours can be found here. Bring two forms of ID, one of which must have your current address. A state-issued photo ID and a utility bill in your name are examples of acceptable ID. Do I need an ID to vote in the Chicago Municipal Elections? It depends. You must bring a government-issued photo ID if:
- You are voting early.
- You’ve changed your address or are voting for the first time at your polling place
You do NOT need a photo ID if you are voting on Election Day and have voted from your current address before. Do I need to bring my voter ID card from the Illinois Board of Elections? No, but you may need to provide a government-issued photo ID as explained above. Who should I vote for? That is, of course, entirely up to you. While the BGA does not endorse candidates for public office, we can recommend tools to help you decide: A list of the candidates can be found here. You can read about the mayoral candidates’ positions on various governance issues in the BGA 2015 Chicago Mayoral Runoff Questionnaire. You can watch BGA President & CEO Andy Shaw’s Candid Conversations with Rahm Emanuel and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on the BGA website. Both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times have compiled information on the Municipal Runoff Election candidates. What is the schedule for candidate debates and forums? There are a variety of mayoral forums and debates planned. Many require advanced registration or membership in a hosting club. However, several live mayoral candidate forums will be or have been televised and/or livestreamed:
- March 16 on WMAQ-TV channel 5.
- March 26 on WFLD-TV channel 32.
- March 31 on WTTW-TV channel 11.
I want to talk to a real person—are there telephone help lines I can call? You can call the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago:312.269.7900/TTY 312.269.0027 Voter help line (Español): 312.223.0820 Voter help line (Polski): 312.223.0823 If there are resources we missed, please add them as a comment.