Intro

In reporting on issues of civic participation among Chicago’s immigrant communities, City Bureau’s elections team investigates how these communities have access and trust in the democratic process, and the response from institutions of government to the needs of these constituents. Our reporting has included rights to language access at the polls, the question over citywide broadband access and social services on the line in the vote over the fair tax amendment.

Our Stories

Featured
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Public Newsroom 157: How to Hold Elected Leaders Accountable

Organizers who work in education, homelessness and housing justice shared several tips on how Chicagoans can get more involved in key local issues affecting our communities in 2025.

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Q&A: Inside an Effort to Give Incarcerated Illinoisans the Right to Vote

State Rep. LaShawn Ford hasn’t given up on making it legal for people convicted of felonies to vote while serving their sentence. He’s working on new legislation after his first bill stalled in Springfield.

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Q&A: ‘Once They Realize, There’s No Stopping Them’: Showing Youth Their Voices Matter in Elections

Jahmal Cole, founder of youth advocacy organization My Block, My Hood, My City, said it’s critical for mentors like him to show young people how local politics affect their lives and how they can overcome challenges to use their influence.

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Q&A: The Consequences of Ignoring Long Covid

Jess Maciuch, a Northwestern University researcher of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid, laments that there’s little talk of chronic illness during election season. 

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Q&A: Voting While Homeless — Chicago Advocates Push for Inclusivity at the Ballot Box

Niya Kelly of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness challenges common misconceptions about voting without a permanent address.

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‘We Need More Lighting, We Need More Security’: What South Side Neighbors Want from Elected Officials

Englewood and Bronzeville residents say politicians aren’t doing enough when they’re not campaigning for votes.

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What Chicagoans Want to Know About the 2024 Elections

A collaboration between Chicago Documenters and Civic Reporting Fellows dug into questions surrounding the electoral process. Here’s what they found.

The New Southwest Side: Young, Latinx, and Ready to Take the Reins
The New Southwest Side: Young, Latinx, and Ready to Take the Reins

[South Side Weekly] Though the Southwest Side changed from majority-white to majority-Latinx in the last few decades, resources and political representation haven’t followed. These residents are looking to change that.

Map: How All of Illinois Voted on a Graduated Income Tax
Map: How All of Illinois Voted on a Graduated Income Tax

Analysts offer insight into the failure of the so-called “fair tax” amendment.

For undocumented immigrants, the work doesn’t stop at the election
For undocumented immigrants, the work doesn’t stop at the election

[Chicago Reader] From voter outreach to working for their communities, undocumented immigrants across the Chicago area don’t let their immigration status get in the way of participating politically.

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About the Reporting Team

Alex Arriaga is a yearlong Civic Reporting Resident at City Bureau covering a beat about how immigrants are participating in civic life. Lily Qi, Paco Alvarez and Lynda Lopez are Fall 2020 Civic Reporting Fellows.