UPDATE: Hundreds of Calls Received to nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline, Significant Long Lines Reported in Chicago

Nov 3

Written by CLCCRUL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2026

CONTACT:
Zindy Marquez
zmarquez@clccrul.org | 312-202-3657

UPDATE: Hundreds of Calls Received to nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline, Significant Long Lines Reported in Chicago
Anyone in line by 7 p.m. has the right to vote. Call 866-OUR-VOTE for help.

CHICAGO — The nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE has received hundreds of calls to the hotline today from voters casting their ballots. Our team of legal volunteers answered them and are hearing about significant concerns in the Chicago area about hours-long lines in many polling place locations. We ask voters to stay in line and call the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline if they encounter any issues.

We urge election officials to do the right thing and ensure that voters who are in line can cast a ballot tonight despite reports of paper ballot shortages, late polling place openings, broken machines, and tech issues. We encourage voters to go to super centers to vote, and we urge the Chicago Board of Elections to put out estimated wait times at polling locations to keep voters informed about where they can best cast their ballots.

Significant long lines have been reported at these locations:

Roosevelt High School at 3436 W. Wilson Ave
American Indian Center at 3401 W Ainslie St
William C Goudy Public School at 5120 N Winthrop Ave
Goethe Elementary at 2236 N Rockwell
Noble Square Cooperative at 1165 N Milwaukee Ave
Holstein Park at 2200 N Oakley
Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 1500 S. Michigan Ave
Vaughn Occupational High School at 4355 N Linder Ave
LeClaire-Hearst Park at 5120 W 44th Street
Park Place Condo at 655 W Irving Park Rd.
West Chatham Park at 8223 S. Princeton

Eligible voters can call or text 866-OUR-VOTE for answers to any question or help with any problem. Legal volunteers will escalate issues that need further action.

"The extremely long lines at many reported polling places is a significant barrier to eligible voters being able to make their voices heard today,” said Christina Beeler, Senior Counsel with the Midwest Voting Rights Program at Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. "We strongly urge voters to stay in line to vote and we encourage the Chicago Board of Elections to share wait times at polling locations. If voters encounter any issues or are unable to cast their ballot, they should call the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline immediately.”

Voters can call the following hotlines:

English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)

Available for interviews: Spokespeople are available by phone or zoom. To schedule, contact Zindy Marquez at 312-202-3657 or zmarquez@clccrul.org.

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Organizations signed-on in support: