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Election Day 2015: Don’t Forget to Vote

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Chicago Vote
Original image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

If you’re a Chicagoan, it’s time to vote. On Tuesday, February 24, Chicago polls open starting at 6am for the mayoral and aldermanic elections of 2015. There’s no denying the importance of your contribution in this election. Your vote will help determine the next four years of Chicago policy and several matters of long-term importance: pension reform, minimum wage, the future of Chicago Public Schools, and even snow removal.

Use these helpful resources to find your polling place and brush up on editorial endorsements. We even have a Twitter handle in the mix, so learning about the candidates and polling information is easy as can be.

BetterGov.org
This handy resources gives you a quick, poignant snapshot of Chicago mayoral candidates and their stances on hot button issues like public education, the Chicago police and fire departments, plus answers to more complicated questions with written responses from the candidates. For the most important vote of the day, BetterGov.org is equipped to help undecided voters make a more informed decision.

The Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners
The Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners offers a user-friendly portal to help you verify your voter registration, locate your polling place, obtain sample ballots and find contact information for public officials. Get a list of all local polling places by ward and precinct to find out where you’ll need to be on Election Day. The commissioner’s site also provides handy answers to FAQs, including what to do if you’ve accidentally made a mistake on your ballot. Polling places are beginning to adjust to more digitally friendly ways of gathering votes, so if you’re accustomed to the traditional paper ballot, this might be the time to brush up on what to expect come Tuesday by using the board’s instructional PDF on how to cast your vote with pen and paper or a swipe of the screen.

Chicago Tribune
The Midwest’s largest newspaper conducts mayoral and aldermanic surveys, led by its editorial board, serving as the basis for the Tribune’s endorsement process. Every candidate is accounted for, with survey answers in their own words. You can read candidates’ responses to the editorial board’s questions on City Hall spending and answers to the Tribune’s “Plan of Chicago,” a 12-step blueprint of action culled together by more than 1,000 ideas submitted by readers. The Tribune has made endorsements for each respective race, so this is your opportunity to see how the city’s most influential paper is making its calls.

DNAinfo.com
Chicago’s Aldermanic races often take a back seat to the higher profile mayor’s race, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Your alderman, after all, is the middle-person between you and the higher-ups at City Hall. Take a look at DNAinfo, one of the best (if not THE best) source for hyper-targeted local news, brought to you by reporters with a dedicated beat on neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park, the Loop, South Chicago, etc. Scan for election-day updates and brush up on your neighborhood’s local highlights in time for Tuesday.

@GregHinz
Here’s our sleeper pick. If you happen to be a Twitter user, you’ll want to follow Crain’s Chicago Business political writer and blogger. Hinz is arguably the foremost critic on Chicago politics. We have no doubt he’ll be tweeting out some interesting information and follow up on the biggest day in local politics.

Happy voting, Chicago!

Giving Back: Levinson and Stefani at the St. Jude Give Thanks. Walk

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Levinson and Stefani participates in the St Jude Give Thanks Walk at Soldier Field
The Levinson and Stefani Team

Despite the clouds, it was a great weekend in Chicago.

On Saturday, the Levinson and Stefani team hit the pavement for the St. Jude Give. Thanks. 5K at Soldier Field, supporting cancer care and research at St. Jude Children’s Hospital; and on Sunday, the Bears squeaked out a 21-13 win at home over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, adding a double dose of awesome to our already stellar weekend.

Despite a gloomy morning, nearly 2,000 people strapped up their laces for the 7th annual fundraiser. We’re proud to say that our team completed the 5K just shy two hours, going the distance for what we hope to make an annual tradition. We hear the organizers are looking to move next year’s walk to September, which hopefully means warmer weather and a great fall backdrop to make the day even more memorable.

We want to extend a big thank you to all those who donated to our team goal of $1,500, which we proudly exceeded.  It’s great to know that our small, but important, contribution will benefit those in need. If you’ve been following the blog lately, you know that St. Jude’s is committed to helping families both financially and medically. Events like the St. Jude Give. Thanks. Walk ensure that patients of St. Jude never receive a medical bill for treatment or care, lifting a tremendous financial burden off their shoulders. Donations also go toward the St. Jude cancer research center, one of the leading research institutions in the country.

You can learn more about St. Jude Children’s Hospital by clicking here. We hope you’ll take some time to learn more about this great organization and all it’s doing in the fight against cancer.

Thanks again, friends, and we’ll see you at the next run!

We’re Gearing Up for the St. Jude Give. Thanks. 5K, Nov. 22

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st-jude-logo-horizontal

The Bears may be down but the atmosphere at Soldier Field is about to get a lot better.

On November 22, Chicagoans will gather in the shadow of the great lakefront stadium for the St. Jude Give. Thanks. walk and run, an annual family-friendly event in support of the life-saving mission of St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Since it began, the nation-wide fundraiser has raised upwards of $17 million for the hospital. Along with Chicago, an additional 65 communities from across the country are set to join in.

For more than 50 years St. Jude has relied on the generosity of every day folks to help children fighting cancer and other diseases. Through donations, patients never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food, with a portion of the funds going toward the St. Jude research center, a pioneer in the field of cancer research. On average, St. Jude has more than 67,000 patient visits each year, maximizing on a daily operating budget of $2 million. The operating budget is primarily covered by individual contributions.

Levinson and Stefani is proud to be one of the many supporters of St. Jude and we’re excited to announce that we’ll be taking part in our first walk. Our wonderful team is prepared to brave the elements with a little help from our friends. In the coming days, the Levinson and Stefani team will be setting up personal pages associated with St. Jude, which will give friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances an opportunity to make a small donation toward our team goal. We’re looking to raise $1,500 in nine days, though we wouldn’t say no to more. Rest assured that every dime and penny we receive will benefit St. Jude Hospital.

It’s worth noting that St. Jude is offering incentives to top individual fundraisers, like 25,000 AAdvantage miles from American Airlines. We say this not because we’re out to win, but in the hopes that a little enticement will encourage our friends to register and raise money as well. Registration is free, and should you choose, you can donate from the comfort of your own home and still participate as a virtual walker. We hear that Soldier Field will be decked to the rafters with a number of pre and post-event activities for adults and kids, including a surprise cameo from Santa and live music.

Check out our team page and then click on any team member’s name to donate. Don’t forget to check back on our progress! We hope you’ll join us, and thousands of others, to help improve the lives of those in need.