On February 24, voters went to the polls in the Chicago mayoral election. No candidate won over 50 percent of the vote, which means there will be a runoff election on April 7 between the top two vote-getters: Jesús “Chuy” García and Rahm Emanuel. Because of this, the city has re-opened voter registration and will accept all applications postmarked by March 10. Any person who has lived in Chicago for over 30 days can register. The Maroon Editorial Board encourages all eligible students to register for and vote in the election.
Many students don’t feel that they are affected by politics. However, politics is an important tool for effecting change on many fronts that students care about, including racial profiling, reducing crime, LGBTQ rights, and the environment. We are all responsible for making sure the city we live in is managed the best it could possibly be, and for that reason we can all take the small step of going out and deciding who should run our city.
Living on this campus, it can sometimes to be easy to forget that we are also citizens of Chicago. But most of us will be here for at least four years. In these four years, we will engage with this city every day. If you’re upset that there’s no pedestrian walk sign on East 53rd Street and South Woodlawn Avenue, or are frustrated by the CTA’s accessibility—or lack thereof—on the South Side, it is the city government you must turn to. Students should recognize their part in the fabric of Chicago society, should do their civic duty, and should go register to vote.
To register, visit chicagoelections.com, and click on the “Register to Vote” portal. Fill out the “Online Voter Registration Application,” print out the completed registration form, and mail it to the Board of Election Commissioners at 69 West Washington Street, Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60602. If you are already registered to vote in a different state or with a different address, include your former registration address on your application. This will deregister you from voting in your former district.
—The Maroon Editorial Board