As early voting opened for Chicago's municipal runoff election Monday, the city's Board of Election emphasized its priority of overcoming low voter turnout.
At the city's Loop supersite, there were no lines bright and early.
Chicago resident Erin Holden told NBC 5 that’s one reason he showed up.
"No crowds," he said. "It's early voting and it is easy to get in and out,” he said.
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Convenience has become major consideration for voters in the upcoming municipal runoff election.
Retta Turner, another voter, said she doesn’t want to depend on fickle spring weather.
“In Chicago, you never know how the weather’s going to be, so you better get out and do it,” she said after casting her ballot.
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For the Chicago Board of Elections, overcoming low voter turnout is a priority. The April 4 election even has a motto, according to Chairwoman Marisel Hernandez: “Once more…with feeling.”
During the Feb. 28, election, more than 23% of voters took advantage of early voting, according to the Board of Elections. Just under 30% voted by mail, leaving less than 48% to vote on Election Day itself. Still, voter turnout was under 36%.
“It’s in that 32-35 percent range, which is very low when you consider voters are deciding who the next mayor will be and the impact of that,” Hernandez said. “I wish there was a higher, much higher turnout.”
As of Monday, early voting sites are now open in all of Chicago’s 50 ward, along with the Loop supersite at Clark and Lake. All will convert into traditional polling places on Election Day.
Also on Monday, Chicagoans who have signed up for vote by mail will start receiving their ballots. Those ballots must be filled out and returned with postmarks by election day for them to be counted. Those received by election day will be counted that night. The law provides two weeks to make sure all ballots still in the postal process will be counted.
The call is also going out now for judges and election workers: both for a handful of suburban races and here in Chicago. The CBOE is offering up $255 a day for returning judges and up to $230 a day for new judges.
The Mayoral runoff and 14 aldermanic runoff elections were 15 days away - as of Monday.
The Chicago Board of elections says it is aware of the tight timeline and will be ready.
“Our staff is working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, as we approach Election Day," Hernandez said.
