Early voting for the 2022 midterm elections started on Oct 7th.
In the past year we felt the crushing tidal wave of legislation that specifically seeks to undermine the humanity of our people. Anti-LGBTQ laws targeting children and families, abortion restrictions, voter suppression, and denial of access to HIV prevention medications among them.
We will not stand by and let law makers erode the freedoms our ancestors worked so hard to secure! We will not stand by and wait for public officials to prioritize our communities! We will show up and show out to demand our right to body autonomy, safe schools and neighborhoods, affirming healthcare, and LGBTQ liberation. An important way to fight back and protect our communities from oppression is by voting! Voting is Activism!
Our ancestors fought hard for the right to vote and many of us do. In Illinois 67% of eligible Black people are registered to vote, and 63% of them voted in Nov 2020. Nearly 80% of eligible LGBTQ people are registered to vote and Black people represent 13% of all LGBTQ voters. That's good but we can do better! Chicago voter turnout during this past summer's primary elections was less than half of the general election in nov 2020, and even lower for Black voting districts. Voter suppression continues and specifically targets Black LGBTQ voters. In 2019, HRC found that large numbers of Black LGBTQ voters, especially trans voters, were prevented from voting because we were unknowingly dropped from voter rolls, met with ID and logistical challenges, and fearful of harassment.
We are supporting Black LGBTQ voters in making sure our voices are heard loud and clear at the polls. To incentivize early voting, we are offering a 50% discount to our Black Gold Jazz and Casino Gala.
I know that elections can be difficult to understand. I consider myself "woke" but I don't feel like I have a firm grasp on the election process, what the roles of individual public officials are, and how they can impact me. When I have tried googling "election basics" in the past I was not met with a very much plain language to explain things. So I reached out to the League of Women Voters Chicago for some education on the upcoming midterm election, why it matters, and how Black LGBTQ voters can let officials know that our votes add up!
Voter Education Resources!
Watch our Voting is Activism video
Check out our voter education post on instagram now!
League of Women Voters of Chicago
Chicago Board of Elections
Online Voter Registration
Vote by Mail application and information
Drop Boxes
Early Voting Sites
Check for Voting Site and Registration Status
Illinois Voter Guide
Injustice Watch's Judicial Guide
New Ward and Precinct Maps for Chicago
From the Board of Elections on decreasing precincts