Dear Neighbor,
Tomorrow is Election Day. We’ll cast our ballots and make our voices heard by voting for congressional, gubernatorial, state, county, and school board candidates.
If you haven’t voted early yet, you can still do so today, at any early voting location in the city. There’s the downtown “supersite” at State and Adams; around here the closest ones are the Portage Cragin Library, Kilbourn Park, the Bucktown Library, and the NEIU El Centro campus in Avondale by the expressway. Otherwise, you can go to your typical polling place tomorrow from 6am to 7pm.
Every election matters, of course. But I’m especially fired up about this year’s ballot because for the first time, we’re electing our entire school board. Every other municipality in Illinois elects their boards, but Chicago cut a deal decades ago to have a mayoral-appointed board instead. It took me many years of fighting to reverse that in Springfield, but we finally won an elected school board.
We deserve a Board of Education that’s accountable to us, our families and our kids, not to big money, special interests, or political power brokers. Please learn more about these races — both the citywide race for Board President and the local race for your representative. They’re way at the bottom of the ballot, after all the judges, but they’re incredibly important.
Here are some more important details 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. Polls will be open from 6am to 7pm on Tuesday.
View your sample ballot
Check the status of your Vote By Mail request and counted status
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 precinct 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 Vote By Mail ballots postmarked after Election Day cannot be counted, by law. If you’re worried about getting it in on time, you can drop your Vote By Mail ballot off into any of 52 Secure Drop Boxes located at all Early Voting sites in Chicago – even on Election Day.
Depending on your language needs, you may be able to request a translated ballot or interpretation assistance. You can also bring a family member into the polling booth to provide assistance.
Anyone experiencing or witnessing suspected voter intimidation, interference, or other problems at the polls should notify an election judge and contact the free, nonpartisan Election Protection hotline:
866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683): English
888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682): Spanish
844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287): Arabic
888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683): Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese
And if you encounter ICE near the polls, call the ICIRR Family Support Network Hotline at 855-435-7693.
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, November 3 due to Midterm General Election Day. You can look up your polling place at chicagoelections.gov. We will reopen on Wednesday, November 4 for regular hours from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Please contact us at (773) 853-2570 or at will@repguzzardi.com for assistance, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you!
LIHEAP
The LIHEAP application period is from October 1, 2026, to August 13, 2027, or until funding is exhausted.
Beginning October 1, 2026, adults aged 60 and older, individuals with a disability, households with at least one child age 5 years and under, households that are disconnected from their utilities/energy vendors, have a disconnect date within 7 days or have less than 25% in their propane tank are able to apply.
On November 1, 2026, all other income eligible households can start applying for LIHEAP assistance. Learn more about the program, how to apply, and eligibility requirements here.
If you need in-person application assistance, language support, or are facing a disconnection, visit one of the CEDA partner intake locations on Chicago’s Northwest Side.
Coat Giveaway
Join us on Thursday, November 5, for the conclusion of our Annual Coat Drive! We’re joining Parent University Logandale, Advocate Health, Concordia Place, and Ald. Quezada’s office for a FREE Coat Giveaway, featuring gently used winter coats and accessories for families in need.
Date: Thursday, November 5
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Location: 3212 W. George St.
Items are available while supplies last.
IL-03 Progressive Coalition Policy Town Hall
On Saturday, November 14, from 10am to 12pm, you’ll hear directly from local public officials about the work we are doing together to address community priorities and pass legislation that meets the needs of our constituents.
The Town Hall will feature breakout discussions focused on: Community Safety, Community Services and Infrastructure, and Good Governance. It will also provide an opportunity for you to provide feedback on the policy priorities that have been identified in collaboration with constituents from across Illinois’ third Congressional District.
Date: Saturday, November 14
Doors Open: 9:30am and program will begin promptly at 10am
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Belmont Cragin; Exact location will be shared 24–48 hours prior to the event.
RSVP: Registration is required - LINK
Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 11. The event location will be shared 24–48 hours prior to the Town Hall.
USCIS & DACA Clinic
Need help renewing your DACA or resolving a delayed USCIS application? Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, in collaboration with Sen. Tammy Duckworth and State Rep. Norma Hernandez, invites you to a USCIS & DACA Casework Clinic to get assistance with your immigration paperwork. This event is designed to assist you to access trusted information, resources, and Congressional services to navigate your individual cases and circumstances.
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm (appointments at 10am–12:30pm, 12:30pm–3pm)
Location: Location will be shared 24–48 hours prior to the event
Jefferson Township Property Tax Appeals
Jefferson Township property tax appeals with the Cook County Assessor's Office are open until Thursday, November 12.
You can find your township across the top of your property tax bill, or you can visit this link and enter your property PIN or address. On the page detailing your property information, the township will be shown under your address.
The majority of the 39th IL House District is within Jefferson Township and the 8th Cook County District. If you live in Jefferson Township, you can file an appeal online at this link or you can call the office of Commissioner Jessica Vásquez at 312-603-6386 to set up an appointment for in-person assistance with your appeal.
Free Food Distribution
The Chicago Tabernacle is hosting a free food distribution to support individuals and families in our community.
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 9:00am to 11:00am
Location: 3249 N. Kilpatrick Ave.
Availability: While supplies last
Little Explorers
LoSAH Center of Hope hosts Little Explorers, a free therapeutic play group for parents/caregivers and their children who are 0-5 years old, on Mondays from November 2 through December 21, from 11am to 12:30pm. For more information and to register, scan the QR code on the flyer or contact LoSAH at (773) 433-1995.