Brenda / March 8, 2004 11:07 AM

Too many skeletons in this girl's closet to run for office, I'm afraid.

How often does one need to register to vote? I'm sure I was registered for the last election... am I still registered? How do I know?

Andrew / March 8, 2004 11:15 AM

My free time is kind of wrapped up in other things right now, and I generally find politics distasteful. So no, no election bid for me.

I'm pretty sure I'm registered -- I don't think you have to register every year (although I honestly am not sure).

Audrey / March 8, 2004 11:22 AM

Once you have registered you remain registered until you move.

I occasionally harbor delusions of becoming mayor of this fair city. A lot of my friends need jobs! And I have lots of flora/fauna tips for downtown. But then I realize I'd have to deal with aldermen. If we could eliminate City Council just for my regime (I mean, term), I promise to be a benevolent-type of autocrat.

amyc / March 8, 2004 11:32 AM

I want to be President, and I'm totally not kidding. I've already promised Cabinet posts to several friends. I just need to win one of those big $200-mil Powerball jackpots to finance my campaign. (Although I won't be eligible age-wise until the 2008 elections)

In the meantime, I like to register voters and write angry letters to politicians. As an official voter registrar for Cook County, I can back up Audrey on this -- if you're registered, you don't need to do it again until you move or change your name.

Pete / March 8, 2004 11:52 AM

No and yes. I consider most politicians to be in that racket solely for their selfish financial and/or megalomaniacal needs, and not for public service. Thus, to paraphrase Groucho Marx, I don't want to belong to that club, especially if they will accept me as a member.

FYI...if you were registered for the last election and still live at the same address, you're still registered. But if you've moved, you need to re-register. Am I right, Alice?

Andrew / March 8, 2004 11:55 AM

So what you're saying is, if I still live in the same place, I don't have to re-register?

Pete / March 8, 2004 12:22 PM

Yes, that's what I believe.

jima / March 8, 2004 12:24 PM

From the State Board of Elections:

Do I ever have to re-register?

No, not unless you:

* Move to a different address
* Change your name

suz / March 8, 2004 12:29 PM

hell yes to both of those questions!

nate / March 8, 2004 12:44 PM

No, and yes.

Well, maybe and yes, if I still get to sleep late as an elected official. It might be more enticing if I could get elected for really local politics, like "President of Kimbark Avenue's S 5400 block."

steve sleeve / March 8, 2004 12:47 PM

me personally, i wouldn't run for office. politics are totally not my thing. however:

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/05/96/266950/2139897692737l.jpg

Ian / March 8, 2004 12:52 PM

I'm registered to vote but only in Wisconsin. So I mostly vote in big elections (like the presidential election). As for running for office I'd be a great person if I were in office but I'm with Brenda, the skeletons would probably haunt me into an early retirement....

Or a smelly New Mexican jail.

Ben / March 8, 2004 1:22 PM

I think the only thing that would keep me from running for an office is the fact that I'm a terrible public speaker.

I am registered and I just moved. Yes, all you have to do is inform the Board of Elections of your new address and they will provide you with a new voter registration card and tell you where your new polling place is located.

Joe / March 8, 2004 1:43 PM

Since I smoked pot in college, can I still run?

Kenan / March 8, 2004 1:52 PM

I would never run for an office. I'm not 'type a' enough. But with the upcoming "you're either for us or against us" Presidential election coming up, I made sure to register to vote in Cook County.

Cinnamon / March 8, 2004 2:57 PM

You betchyer sweet patootie I'm registered. Did so on my 18th birthday and I've rarely missed an election since. (The only ones I've missed have been in Chicago when I couldn't find the polling place I was supposed to be at.)

Can't run for office cause I have a habit of laughing at people during wrong moments and I'd probably be called "the hyena" by my opposition, which would just make me laugh more.

Xan / March 8, 2004 4:43 PM

Maybe I'd fancy being mayor of a small town someday. But with no real designs on becoming a senator or governor or that kind of stuff. Things could get messy.

Yup, I'm registered to vote... I bet my absentee vote in 2000 somehow got lost over the Pacific because when I came back to the US, there was a bit of confusion over who was supposed to be President.

And damned if it weren't clear from over there… I was teaching English and one of my students -14 years old- asked me point blank how our country planned to remain a planetary superpower if our Presidential candidate Bush had worse English grammar than she did (the student).

Please register and vote. I’m begging you.

stephen / March 8, 2004 4:53 PM

It's going to be a battle come November, so we've got to mobilize everyone who never votes..even if they vote for Bush, I'd rather see a historic number of folks voting than anything else. Well, maybe Bush not winning. Regardless, I'm volunteering for Kerry and doing what I can.

paul / March 9, 2004 8:39 AM

I've never really wanted to run for office... always wanted to the be the campaign manager. I don't know what that says about me (?).

I am registered to vote, although it's only by accident. It's amazing how frickin hard it is to get registered these days... the whole system is designed to make it difficult for young, itinerant types like me. Blah.

Pete / March 9, 2004 8:45 AM

Cinammon, your laughing at people during wrong moments would make me more likely to vote for you. I doubt if any of the presidential candidates ever really laugh at all, even at the right moment.

Kris / March 9, 2004 10:03 AM

Paul, is it really that difficult to register? When I moved to Illinois, I got registered automatically when I switched my license (god bless Motor Voter), and then when I moved within the city I updated my registration at a booth at Halsted Market Days. All totally painless.

Xan / March 9, 2004 10:17 AM

Man oh man, it's so easy if you have a computer. Just go to
www.chicagoelections.com
or
http://www.elections.state.il.us/Voteinfo/Pages/VoteRegForms.htm

While you're at it, print off a few of those forms and keep them with you to give to other folks who think it's a difficult thing to do.

Fill out form, mail to address listed on form.
Done and done.