Oct 5, 2008 11:07 pm US/Central
Cook County Preps For Record Voters
Voter Registration In Full Force Before Tuesday Deadline
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Voters are expected to turn out in record numbers for the November 4th election. In fact, according to the Associated Press, more than 3.5 million new voters have registered.
In Chicago, Board of Election workers are doing all they can to make sure eligible voters are registered in time for Tuesday's midnight deadline, as CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports.
Evelyn Hernandez, 18, is just one of the 20,000 new voters registered in Chicago since last Monday.
Thousands more are expected to sign up in the next couple of days, and Chicago Election Board officials say unlike in years past, many of the new voters are young people.
Hernandez has a feeling she knows why.
"It would be nice to get a change here in the United States," said newly registered voter Hernandez.
Hernandez says people her age might not happen without their votes, so it's important to get involved.
"It's going to be a voice to be heard," she said. "I mean, it's a lot of young voters out there, and I'm pretty sure they feel the same way I do."
Hernandez's mother and brother agree. That's why they encouraged her to register to vtoe. That also say they're looking forward to voting as much as she is.
"If we don't vote, we basically can't complain then, 'why did this president come up,'" said voter Jonathan Garcia. "As long as we vote, we have our voice."
"If we want something else better, we have to let them hear us," said voter Alicia Hernandez.
Some folks are even making sure others are heard. Linda Brown dropped off a registration for a family friend who is 93-years-old, and couldn't make it in on her own. Brown also made sure her cousin who recently moved to Chicago, registered to vote.
"It's just very important to us right now, to make a difference, and that's how we can do that," Brown said.
Chicago election officials say interest in this election is across the board, and they're looking at a number of new registrations higher than anything they've seen in the department's 111-year history. They're also preparing for what the next two days may bring.
"If it's anything like the primary, it's going to be 'Katie bar the door', it will be gang buster, box office, whatever term you want to use," said Jim Allen of the Chicago Election Board. "We'll have a large stream of people who have been putting it off, putting it off, putting it off, and they are finally going to take care of business."
The Chicago Election Board will be open Monday from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 8 a.m.- 12 a.m.
If you are registerd to vote in the City of Chicago,
click here. If you're registered to vote in suburban Cook County
click here.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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