The threat of severe weather Tuesday has officials urging Chicago residents to vote early ahead of the runoff election to decide 14 ward representatives as well as the city’s new mayor.
The National Weather Service Chicago forecast a chance for severe storms on Election Day in the afternoon leading into the evening, including the potential for destructive winds, damaging hail and a few tornadoes, according to a Twitter post Monday morning.
“If they can, we urge Chicago voters to take advantage of the last day of early voting this Monday, April 3, and to return their Vote By Mail ballots back to any secure drop box in the city,” Max Bever, Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson, said in a statement. “Don’t delay and vote today.”
The National Weather Service said a “warm and moist atmosphere” Tuesday afternoon and evening will produce conditions that could lead to severe storms, but strong warm air coming in could prevent thunderstorms from developing. Potential outcomes range from no storms in the Chicago area to a few storms with hail and tornadoes capable of extensive damage.
The high and low temperatures Tuesday will sit just around the low to mid-60s, according to the weather service.
Early voting is open at all 50 ward locations today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the Chicago Board of Elections. The two downtown early voting sites — the Supersite at 191 N. Clark St. and the Board of Election Commissioners office on the 6th floor at 69 W. Washington St. — are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All 50 ward early voting sites and the Board Supersite (191 N. Clark) will also be open as vote centers on Election Day. All locations are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Mail-in voters are encouraged to return their ballots to any of the 52 secure drop boxes across the city by 6 p.m. Monday, or 7 p.m. at the Supersite and board office, to ensure the ballot will be processed and counted.
Residents can still vote at an early voting site if they haven’t yet received their mail-in ballot by letting an election judge at the voting location know and signing a form.
A strong cold front is expected to move across the area Wednesday morning, the weather service said, which if slowed, could cause scattered thunderstorms after sunrise and may become severe east of Interstate 55 late Wednesday morning and early afternoon. The high Wednesday is expected to be around 70 with the low quickly cooling down to the low 30s.
Highs on Thursday and Friday will be around 50 paired with sunny and dry skies followed by lows in the 30s on both days.
Severe weather hit the area earlier in the weekend, and the weather service confirmed a total of 16 tornadoes in its coverage area in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared a state disaster proclamation over the weekend for Boone County, which includes Belvidere; Crawford County; DuPage County in Chicago’s western suburbs; Sangamon County in the Springfield area; and Marion County in south-central Illinois. These counties will be prioritized by the Pritzker administration to receive state help to aid in their cleanup and recovery efforts.
DuPage County on Monday issued a disaster declaration after an EF-1 tornado hit Addison Friday night. An EF-1 tornado also blew through Belvidere on Friday night causing a roof collapse at a metal concert at the Apollo Theatre that left one dead and 40 other adults injured.
