LINCOLN SQUARE — Chicago Public Schools' Local School Council elections are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Do you need to register to vote? How do you find your polling place?
Here's your complete LSC election guide.
When To Vote
Voting is scheduled to coincide with report card pickup days, which are nonattendance days for students. Voting for elementary school LSCs will take place Wednesday; voting for high school LSCs will take place Thursday.
There's no absentee or proxy voting.
Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where To Vote
Each individual school serves as a polling place.
Parents can vote at schools where their children are enrolled and at neighborhood schools. Community members can vote at their neighborhood schools — elementary, middle and high schools. Click here for a school locator.
For schools that draw students from across the city — magnet and selective enrollment schools — CPS has created "voting districts." Click here to find out whether you're eligible to vote at any of these schools (the searchable database was developed by Josh Kalov as part of the Cook County Open Data project).
Who Can Vote
Anyone who lives in Chicago and is at least 18 years old can vote in an LSC election. U.S. citizenship is not required, but all voters need to provide two forms of identification — driver's license, state ID, library card, etc. (Click here for acceptable forms of ID, page 15.)
A couple more caveats:
• Parents: Be prepared to provide documentation that you are indeed a parent, legal guardian or temporary custodian of a child at said school. This could include a report card, birth certificate or tax return listing the student as a dependent.
• Community members: Be prepared to present documentation that shows you live within the school's attendance boundary. This could include a current driver's license, lease or utility bill.
How To Vote
Local School Councils are made up of six parent representatives, two community representatives, two teacher representatives, one non-teacher staff member, the school's principal and, in high schools only, a student representative.
Parents and community members will receive a ballot consisting solely of candidates running for parent and community rep.
A number of schools have posted LSC candidates' statements on their websites, typically under the LSC tab often found under the "community" heading.
Vote for as many as five candidates — voting for fewer than five is fine but voting for more than five will invalidate the ballot.
The elected council members will serve two-year terms, beginning July 1.
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