New downtown Chicago supersite opens for early voting
Early voting for the 2026 primary began Thursday morning for anyone who lives within the Chicago city limits.
Watch CBS News
Early voting for the 2026 primary began Thursday morning for anyone who lives within the Chicago city limits.
Bever joins Joe Donlon and Irika Sargent with information on election security and integrity, and what the board is expecting for polling places on Election Day Tuesday.
Sheriff Tom Dart said this implementation of law enforcement makes his deputies proactive instead of reactive.
The final accuracy and logic tests were under way Monday at the Chicago Loop Supersite, at 191 N. Clark St.
Per state law, all late-arriving but properly postmarked ballots must be counted.
Chicago election officials on Friday will begin scanning and counting thousands of mail-in ballots, a day after workers spent the day checking signatures on those ballots. Poll watchers for both of the Democratic candidates for Cook County State’s Attorney will be there to keep an eye on the process, with that race still too close to call. Max Bever, with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, helps break down the process.
CBS 2's cameras were rolling Thursday as several checks were made on mail-in ballots.
Technically, the deadline is April 2, so it could take almost two more weeks to determine whether Eileen O’Neill Burke or Clayton Harris III will be the next Cook County State’s Attorney. CBS 2’s Tara Molina reports.
The demonstration ballot listed the names of various historical figures with Chicago or Illinois connections as candidates for various offices.
Younger voters 18 to 24 are the smallest voting bloc to show up to the polls so far.
Younger voters 18 to 24 are the smallest voting bloc to show up to the polls so far. CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reports.
Candidates must submit signatures from registered voters in order to appear on the ballot. That is a mandate you won't find in every big city.
The second page, or Ballot B, has all the judges up for retention.
Election officials statewide say they are doing everything they can to protect your vote.
If you need to brush up on the candidates in your district or see if your polling place has changed, check out the CBS 2 Voter Guide and then be sure to stay with CBS 2 for live Election Night coverage.
"I do think, you know, the Obamas visiting the early voting site lets voters know that it's there, it's open – it's ready for their early votes," said Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever.
There will also be extended weekday hours for the supersite (9:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm) from June 20 to June 24, the week before Election Day.
Early voting for the 2020 general election still had a little bit of time to go as of late Monday afternoon, but it had already set records by that time – along with mail-in ballots.
Election Day is coming up Tuesday, but yes, you still have time to vote early.
Experts expect the vote totals to break records, but as CBS 2's Jeremy Ross reported, there is one total in particular that Chicago leaders are watching closely.
"Regardless of what happens, November 3rd will be a big day for all of us, and our goal is clear: keep Chicagoans safe as we take part in this momentous day," Lightfoot said.
It's the first time ever the arena is being used as a voting site, and the arena will be open to all Chicago voters on Election Day.
In light of the pandemic, there's been a major push urging Americans to vote by mail or vote early for the Nov. 3 elections.
"When we receive those ballots back, we have a team of three judges who must review the envelope. And make sure the signature matches what we have on our voter rolls for that particular voter, and it has to be a unanimous decision by all the judges."
Many voters lined up as early as 6 a.m., more than two hours before the Loop Super Site opened at 8:30 a.m. It wasn't long before the line to vote stretched for blocks.
Fighting Illini fans are pumped for the Final Four, and Indianapolis feels more like Urbana because of how many Illini fans have traveled there for the big game.
Tristan Peters capped a two-run 10th inning with an RBI single and the Chicago White Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in a wild home opener.
Three suspects were trying to rob an undercover ATF agent during a gun sting outside a South Side Walmart Thursday when the agent opened fire, officials said.
Officials in Crete, Illinois, said a deadly house fire that killed a family was accidental in nature.
Officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit seeking to block President Trump's executive order that aims to restrict mail voting.
Officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit seeking to block President Trump's executive order that aims to restrict mail voting.
A federal judge on Friday rejected efforts by the Justice Department to revive two subpoenas it served to the Federal Reserve.
The president of Wisconsin's largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his statements against Israel.
The search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is continuing, two U.S. officials said.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, told CBS' Ed O'Keefe that the war is likely not justified under the Just War Theory.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Skyrocketing property taxes continue to be a hot-button issue in Cook County — particularly since last fall, when many residents saw their tax bills increase by 100% or more.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias this weekend issued a warning about a surge in text messages that falsely claim to come from his office or the DMV within it.
Tenants at a South Loop luxury high-rise that has been plagued with problems like broken elevators are vowing to fight five-day eviction notices.
It's become an annual March Madness tradition at CBS Chicago, pitting our city's best eateries in direct competition in a foodie bracket challenge. We did pizza, we've done Italian beef, we've done Chicago dogs. This year, we're taking flight with wings.
Allergy season is here, and the dreaded pollen can trigger sneezing, congestion, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Northwestern Medicine and the American Red Cross teamed up for a community blood drive in Chicago on Monday morning.
Ending domestic violence is the goal of groups and advocates all over the world, and some experts in Chicago say it is time to become less reactive and more proactive when it comes to the people causing harm.
A new Iowa law bans local nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity after the state became the first in the U.S. to roll back its civil rights code last year.
Food containing norovirus may smell and taste normal but still cause serious illness if consumed, FDA warns.
The federal government is suing Illinois, Connecticut and Arizona over efforts to regulate prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
The owners of the popular Uncommon Ground restaurant, live music venue, and brewery in Chicago's Wrigleyville community announced this week that they're looking for a successor to take over the business.
Chicago consistently ranks in the top three cities in Fortune 500 company headquarters, and now a competition has been launched to build on Chicago's power in business.
The flagship Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community will be moving later this year, a restaurant representative said Tuesday.
Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen threw some shade at former teammate Michael Jordan in a new pop commercial.
A federal judge in New York has tossed out actor Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie "It Ends With Us," but left intact a claim for retaliation.
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane was lured to a Dallas studio for a meeting, then allegedly kidnapped and robbed by a group including rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30.
When Jean-Luc Godard's "Hail Mary" opened in Chicago on April 4, 1986, it drew a throng of angry protesters who considered the film an affront to their faith.
Applications are open for residents and bands who want to participate in PorchFest in Chicago's Lakeview and Roscoe Village communities this year.
A Las Vegas performer has sued Taylor Swift over the title of her hit album "The Life of a Showgirl," alleging it violates the performer's trademark.
The first photos taken of Earth from Artemis II have arrived.
Fighting Illini fans are pumped for the Final Four, and Indianapolis feels more like Urbana because of how many Illini fans have traveled there for the big game.
Chicago police are searching for the person who shot and killed a man during an argument Thursday afternoon.
A man was nearly pushed in front of an arriving train near Seattle, Washington, and it was all caught on surveillance video.
Friday was a beautiful day for the White Sox home opener against the Blue Jays, despite fans having had to wait a day after storms postponed the game originally set for Thursday.
Fourteen people were injured in a crash in Oak Park on Friday morning. The driver who caused the crash died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and has been identified.
Fighting Illini fans are pumped for the Final Four, and Indianapolis feels more like Urbana because of how many Illini fans have traveled there for the big game.
Three suspects were trying to rob an undercover ATF agent during a gun sting outside a South Side Walmart Thursday when the agent opened fire, officials said.
Chicago businessman Willie Wilson announced he is hosting another gas giveaway on April 4.
Officials in Crete, Illinois, said a deadly house fire that killed a family was accidental in nature.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have built a "self-driving" lab that uses robotics and artificial intelligence to accelerate work that would take humans weeks or months to complete.
Johnson said the position was temporary, but when the chief homelessness officer was first appointed, she told CBS News Chicago that her role was funded for three years, not two.
A former stand-out college football star with a criminal history has been convicted of sexually abusing foster children who were in the care of a Chicago facility at the center of a massive investigation.
Two more women have filed lawsuits against Massage Envy, accusing the company of failing to protect them against sexual assaults by two of their therapists.
Homeowners in Berwyn said they are constantly having to pump out sewage to keep it from flooding their basements.
Tristan Peters capped a two-run 10th inning with an RBI single and the Chicago White Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in a wild home opener.
In a special surprise during their home opener on Friday, the White Sox announced they will be retiring former shortstop and manager Ozzie Guillen's No. 13 jersey in August.
Illini fans watching the Final Four game in Champaign on Saturday should prepare to pay over $100 at some campus bars.
The Fighting Illini hit the court for their first practice on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Final Four matchup against Connecticut.
Body camera video has been released of Tiger Woods' arrest, after a car crash in Florida. He has been charged with driving under the influence.
The president of Wisconsin's largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his statements against Israel.
Some Joliet, Illinois, residents were asked to shelter in place Thursday morning as police executed a search warrant.
A man stood charged Thursday with holding up five men at gunpoint after luring them by offering to buy anime cards on online marketplaces.
A man was apprehended late Wednesday night after a standoff in Chicago's East Garfield Park neighborhood.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
