🗳️💪 Tomorrow is Primary Election Day!
Dear Neighbor,
Tomorrow is the Primary Election, when we’ll cast our ballots and make our voices heard by voting for congressional, gubernatorial, state, and county candidates.
It really matters, especially right now. I know things seem bleak most days. Everything's getting more expensive, thanks to uncontrolled inflation, bad housing policy, and disastrous foreign wars. Climate change is heading toward the point of no return, with hundred-year storms upending our lives more and more often. ICE raids continue to terrorize and disrupt our communities. And our very democracy is under threat, with a president declaring war without Congressional approval and threatening to suspend our elections.
But for exactly these reasons, now more than ever, we must believe in our democracy, we must pour ourselves into preserving the institutions of government that can save us from these disasters. Your vote is an act of faith in a better future. Please make sure you cast it.
Here’s some important news to inform your plan to vote:
First, be sure to check out all chicagoelections.gov has to offer. Here you can:
Verify your voter registration
Locate your precinct polling place for Election Day
View your sample ballot
Check the status of your Vote By Mail request and counted status
Take a moment to confirm the location of your polling place on Election Day. All polling places will be open from 6am to 7pm on Tuesday, March 17.
Do you or a family member need to register to vote? Do you need to file a name change or address change? You can still do all of that on Election Day, you just need to go to your polling place and present two forms of ID. At least one ID must list your current address. Here is more information on what kinds of ID will be accepted.
For those who are voting by mail, please note that the United States Postal Service will not guarantee that your Vote By Mail return ballot envelopes will be postmarked the same day that you mailed it. Any ballot postmarked after Election Day on March 17 cannot be accepted.
If you are returning your ballot close to Election Day, here are some options for submitting your ballot:
Drop your ballot off into any of 52 Secure Drop Boxes located at all Early Voting sites in Chicago – even on Election Day! All 50 Ward Early Voting Sites across the city open on Monday, March 2. (Please Note: Precinct polling places on Election Day do not have drop boxes. Precinct election judges cannot accept Vote By Mail ballots, and VBM ballots returned at precinct polling places will not be processed. Voters instead can use any of the Vote Centers open on Election Day to return their Vote By Mail ballot, including the new downtown voting Supersite at 137 S. State St.)
Go to the post office counter and request a manual postmark
Deliver your ballot directly to 69 W. Washington St. – either at the First-Floor lobby drop box or in the 6th Floor office
All qualified ballots properly postmarked by Election Day, March 17, and received up to 14 days after, March 31, will be processed and counted for the 2026 Primary Election. The Chicago Board of Elections will send you an email when it receives your ballot return envelope, and again when your ballot has been processed and counted.
Thank you for exercising your rights and making your voice heard.
All my best,
Will
Office Closure Notice
Our office will be closed on Tuesday, March 17 due to Primary Election Day. You can look up your polling place at chicagoelections.gov.
We will reopen on Wednesday, March 18, for regular hours, from 9am to 5pm. Thank you!
Spring Grocery Giveaway
My office is partnering with local elected officials and organizations for a grocery giveaway on Friday, March 27 from 2 to 4pm. Join us at Chopin Park, 3420 N Long Ave. while supplies last; first come, first serve!
Property Tax Exemptions
Applications for property tax exemptions for 2025 are now open. If you are a resident of the 8th District of Cook County, please reach out to Commissioner Jessica Vasquez’s office at (312) 603-6386, if you would like to set up an appointment for assistance.
As a reminder, there are several types of exemptions:
Homeowner Exemption: homeowner has lived in the property since at least January 1, 2025
Senior Citizen Exemption: homeowner is over 65
Low-Income Senior “Freeze” Exemption: homeowner is over 65 and household makes under $65,000 (Needs to be renewed every year)
Persons with Disabilities Exemption: homeowner has documentation of disability
Veterans with Disabilities Exemption: homeowner is veteran with disability benefits (Needs to be renewed every year)
You can learn more about each of these exemptions, including eligibility requirements, on the Assessor's website at this link. Residents can still complete a Certificate of Error for any missing exemptions for tax year 2024-2021 and can receive assistance with exemptions for 2024-2021 through the 8th District office.
Mikva Challenge Summer Fellows
Mikva Challenge Summer Fellows is a six-week program that places 50 young people after their senior year to serve as Fellows in the offices of city, county, state, and federal officials across the city of Chicago for 30 hours per week, for 6 weeks between June and August. Mikva Challenge partners with the Illinois Department of Human Services Youth Investment Program (IYIP) to support this paid internship opportunity for Cook County youth. The IYIP partnership allows Mikva Challenge to pay Fellows $17 per hour for their hard work and valuable contributions in their offices. Fellows also participate in weekly educational workshops that center on community building, goal setting, leadership development, and workplace readiness.
The deadline for applications is Friday, March 20. Learn more and apply here!
Work, Wellness and a Safer Chicago: A People's Plan Job Readiness Fair
The Mayor’s Office of Community Safety, in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Health and Human Services, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, Chicago Park District, City Colleges of Chicago, Department of Family and Support Services, and local community-based organizations invite you to Work, Wellness and a Safer Chicago: A People's Plan Job Readiness Fair.
Local government, workforce development agencies, employers, community organizations, and training providers are collaborating to offer resume reviews, mock interviews, career coaching, and job search guidance. Participants also receive information about training programs, industry-recognized certifications, apprenticeships, educational pathways that support long-term career growth and resources for wraparound supports including childcare, transportation, violence prevention programming and record sealing and expungement.
WHEN: Friday, March 20, 2026
WHERE: Humboldt Park Fieldhouse - 1440 N Humboldt Blvd
REGISTER: ChiCookWorks.org/Ready