With less than a week until the city election, about 61 percent as many Chicago voters have cast early ballots as did in the run-up to election day in the 2011 mayoral race.
By the end of Tuesday, 44,860 Chicago voters had voted early around the city, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. That compares with 73,268 early ballots cast before the February 2011 election when Rahm Emanuel won his first term as mayor.
Things may pick up in the last few days of early voting, which runs through Saturday. There were 7,259 ballots cast Tuesday, the ninth day of early voting, according to the election board.
Early voting and mail-in voting increasingly have become a focus for campaigns as they get better at identifying likely supporters and try to get their votes locked up rather than wait for Election Day, when bad weather, busy schedules or long lines at the polls might deter people from casting ballots.
So far this election cycle, the most early votes have been cast in the 19th Ward, the Far Southwest Side bastion of city workers and union members who live in the Beverly and Mount Greenwood neighborhoods and usually rank at or near the top of the highest voter turnout. More than 2,200 early votes were cast in the 19th Ward by the end of Tuesday, according to the election board.
Another edge-of-the-city ward with a big white population and lots of city workers, the Far Northwest Side 41st Ward, was in second place with 2,092 early votes.
There has also been big early voting turnout — 1,409 — in the Far South Side 34th Ward, home of veteran Ald. Carrie Austin, a loyal Emanuel supporter.
And in the South Side 7th Ward, where Emanuel appointee Ald. Natashia Holmes is trying to hold onto her seat against seven challengers, 1,323 ballots have been cast.
Early voting will be offered through Saturday at 51 sites, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. All the locations are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The locations are listed at chicagoelections.com.
