Chicago Votes 

Chicago Votes, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is committed to developing a new generation of leaders by opening the doors of government and politics to young people from all corners of the city. Currently, we are working on a number of initiatives in order to increase voter turnout and civic engagement during the November 2020 elections and beyond. These initiatives include calling the nearly two hundred thousand young voters in Illinois and collecting Pledge to Vote Cards, collaborating with the Chicago Board of Elections and Chicago Public Schools, and formulating a Voter Guide.

If you are interested in joining our phone bank sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4pm-8pm CST, please register here.

If you are interested in serving as an election judge, please register here. You will be paid $230 for setting up and monitoring a polling site, from 5am-7pm on Election Day, November 3, 2020. More information is available here. 

Feel free to reach out to charlotte@chicagovotes.com with any inquiries about volunteering with us. We have many opportunities and will be hosting a number of volunteer trainings and workshops throughout the summer.

Equip for Equality 

Judges of Election are paid to work on Election Day to manage the precinct polling place, including preparing reports after the polls close. The job is challenging and personally rewarding. Election judges must be registered to vote in Cook County and they must attend a virtual training. More information is available here. Contact Bebe Novich at Bebe@equipforequality.org with questions or to get involved.
 

Election Protection - National Remote Voter Hotline – 1,200 Captains Needed!

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its coalition partners seek legal volunteers to remotely serve as Captains for the Election Protection’s English language national voter hotline (1-866-OUR-VOTE). The national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition works year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. The hotline is answered by remote trained legal volunteers daily who are supported by Captains through hotline platform’s chat function.

Over 1,200 Captains shifts must be filled August-October.  These experienced Captains will then also assist during the November 3 election.

As part of Captain training, volunteers will need to serve as hotline volunteers three times (if they have not done so in 2020).  Some volunteer hotline shifts for August-September have been set aside for this purpose (i.e. others cannot sign up for them.)  In addition, Captains will complete a 2-hour on-demand training and be supported during their first Captain shifts by call center leads.   Written guides will also be provided.  Overall commitment: Serve as captains for at least 2-3 shifts in September-October and 1+ shift on November 2 and 3.

The Captain role is critical for the success of the national voter hotline. Sign up to play this leadership role!

Wednesday, October 14 
12:15 – 1:20 PM 
Diversity Scholars Series: Voting Rights with Ami Gandhi and Rebecca Carter 
Senior Counsel Ami Gandhi and Fellow Rebecca Carter at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights will discuss the current conditions of voting, civic participation in Chicago, and barriers to the ballot that especially impact communities of color and low-income voters as we approach the November 2020 election. 
More Information and Zoom Link »

Thursday, October 15
12:15 – 1:20 PM 
Political Campaigns Behind the Scenes: Jon Lerner, '95 and Adam Bonin, '97 
How do you actually go about running for office? How do you navigate declaring a candidacy and raising money? How do political ads get made? How does political research and polling work? What do the DNC and RNC do and  how does the party system affect who runs for office and how elections go?  What skills do lawyers bring to the table in campaigns? What is it like to have a campaign as a client? What should you do if you want to run for office—now or someday? Two Law School alumni will share their experiences working for candidates behind the scenes, answering these questions and more. The conversation will be moderated by Daniel Hemel, Professor of Law and Ronald H. Coase Research Scholar. 
More Information & Register »

Thursday, October 22 
12:15 – 1:20 PM 
Voting Rights and Overcoming Voter Suppression with Valerie Jarrett, Distinguished Senior Fellow
Join Valerie Jarrett, distinguished Senior Fellow at the Law School for a conversation on voting rights and how we can help to overcome voter suppression. Ms. Jarrett continues to focus in her work on the importance of voting and how to increase voter participation. How can we better ensure that people of color and young people can vote? What barriers continue to persist that prevent people from voting? What issues can lawyers and law students take to address this important issue?

Valerie Jarrett is an American businesswoman and former government official. She served as Senior Advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama and oversaw the White House Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs from 2009 to 2017. She currently serves as board chair of When We All Vote, a nonpartisan organization. This event is co-sponsored by Law School chapters of the American Constitution Society (ACS) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
More Information & Register »

Friday, October 23 
12:15 – 1:20 PM 
The Electoral College and the 2020 Election with Professor Bridget Fahey and Professor Tom Ginsburg
This event will provide a tour of the Electoral College, pressing further than its general mandate in the constitution to the statutes and regulations that dictate how it actually works in practice. In the process, it will provide a window into the issues that could bedevil the November 3 election: What if a state’s governor and legislature disagree about who has won the election? What if legal challenges prevent a state from selecting delegates to the Electoral College before the College meets to cast its votes? Which legal forums are appropriate for resolving disputes concerning delegates to the College?
More Information & Register »

Wednesday, October 28 
12:15 – 1:20 PM 
A Conversation with Former Attorney General John Ashcroft
Former Attorney General John Ashcroft, JD ’67, joins the Law School for a conversation with Dean Thomas J. Miles. General Ashcroft has served in nearly every branch of government: a state attorney general, a governor, a U.S. Senator,  and as U.S. Attorney General. General Ashcroft shares his thoughts on running for office, his work in government, and on the 2020 election.
More Information & Register »

Wednesday, November 4
12:15 – 1:20 PM
The Post-Election Faculty Panel
In this unprecedented election year, join Law School faculty for a panel on what happened on election day and where things currently stand. What challenges do we see ahead? What legal issues have arisen? Where will the campaigns go from here? Moderated by Genevieve Lakier, Assistant Professor of Law, this panel features Aziz Huq, David Strauss, and Daniel Hemel.
More Information & Register »

 

Voter Resources from the Library
The University of Chicago Library provides a variety of voting resources including help with registering to vote, finding ballots and voting absentee. 
 

BalletReady 
In 2020, in addition to the presidential election, there are over 95,000 positions on the ballot. BallotReady allows you to dive into the background of every candidate on your own personal ballot. Compare candidates based on their stances on issues, biography, and endorsements and save your choices as you go, then breeze through the ballot box by bringing BallotReady to the polls.