United Center transformed into voting super site

CHICAGO - For those who didn’t cast an early ballot this year, polls will open in the city and suburbs at 6 AM on Tuesday.

And the biggest turnout in the city may be at the house that Bulls legend Michael Jordan built.

Under the statue of Jordan dunking, thousands of Chicagoans will be voting as the United Center has been transformed into a voting super site for the first time in its history.

Election workers on Monday set up 70 voting machines in the east Atrium.

With gallons of hand sanitizer and Plexiglas screens, the UC is being used because it can handle thousands of people while keeping everyone socially distanced.

“Tomorrow is going to be the most important election in our lifetime, no matter what age we are. And secondly it’s going to be the biggest turn out we’ve had in any recent election,” said UIC Police Science Professor Dick Simpson.

Those who still have mail-in ballots can drop them off at the United Center, Guaranteed Rate Field and Wrigley Field in Chicago, and at seven supersite locations for suburban Cook County voters.

And while the outcome of the presidential election may not be known for days or even weeks, we should know the winners of local races by Wednesday night.

“We have historically had 90% of the results in by 10 PM,” said Marisel Hernandez of the Chicago Board of Elections.

City and suburban election officials say even with the COVID crisis, they have plenty of election judges ready to handle the crowds and have been working with police and the FBI in case of any trouble at the polls.