Early Voting Ends March 15; Two Referendums Draw Northbrook Voters to the Polls

Voters who can’t make it to the polls on March 20 or simply want to get it out of the way have until Wednesday, March 15, to vote early at .

To vote before Election Day, Cook County residents must bring a valid photo ID to any polling place and fill out a form. No excuse or reason for voting early is needed. 

When the polls closed on Sunday, some 1,200 people had already showed up to vote at Northbrook’s Village Hall, making it the second most-visited polling location in Cook County, after Orland Park. Any voter in suburban Cook County can vote at any polling location. 

This year’s presidential primary is bringing out Republican voters in greater numbers, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr. During the first ten days of early voting, more than 6,000 Republican voters were recorded, nearly double the number who had voted at that point in 2008. 

On Friday afternoon, a slow but steady stream of voters trickled in and out of Northbrook’s Village Hall. Locally, two referendums in particular may be helping to bring voters to the polls. 

Tracy Moskowitz, a college student at Michigan State University, said she was motivated to come out to vote because of .

“I went through District 31 and I don’t think that it should lose resources,” said Moskowitz, who was home on spring break. She found out about the district’s recent budget cuts and struggle to raise money through Facebook, and said her parents encouraged her to vote yes.

Fellow voter and Northbrook resident Irv Gross said he felt it was important to cast his ballot in favor of another referendum: .

“I’m going to assume the village is going to do its homework, and if there’s a better price available, let the consumers get it,” he said.

Phyllis Goldman, another Northbrook resident, said she came out in support of , a candidate seeking the Democratic nomination to run against in Illinois’ 10th District.

“I voted for Sheyman because he’s very progressive,” said Goldman. “He’s for jobs, jobs, jobs, protecting social security and Medicaid, among other things."

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