Why do a bunch of designers care about casting ballots? How we vote is crucial to the built environment and the people who create and live in it. Our national, state and local representatives make countless decisions that affect the potential for sustainability and for good, equitable design. For example, on today’s ballot, we choose three members of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board – the folks who care for the Chicago River, trying to keep it clean and sewage free! Our elected officials have a lot of power to make good or bad decisions affecting the design of our homes, communities and country. We love participating in the process of choosing them – we hope you do too!
If you took advantage of early voting or dropped by your polling place on the way to work … good for you! If you haven’t then IT’S NOT TOO LATE. Don’t forget to vote TODAY and do your bit for our community and environment. Polls are open until 7pm.
Look yourself up at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website to find out your poling place information.
With your last name and address it will tell you where to vote AND all your current public officials from President Obama down to your local Ward Committeemen. It will also give you a map to your nearest polling place and a sample ballot to study (in case you want to do a little background research on anyone before you vote. You can come back to this same website to find out the results of the election once the votes are counted.
If you find that you’re not registered to vote, Don’t Despair! You can still register today before 7PM, and cast your ballot at the same time, by taking two of the following: a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, and current bill, government check, paycheck or other official document showing your name and address to one of these Chicago Board of Elections locations:
69 W. Washington Street
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove Drive
Mount Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th Street
West Side Learning Center 4624 W. Madison
Welles Park 2333 W. Sunnyside
Show up by 7pm and you can get registered and vote at the same time using that Grace Period registration.
