The Progressive: Chicago Mayoral Race Galvanizing Young Voters
http://www.progressive.org/news/2015/04/188075/chicago-mayoral-race-galvanizing-young-voters
As the Chicago mayoral race rolls through its last week, young people from Chicago’s South and West side neighborhoods are rallying behind Rahm Emanuel’s challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Far away from the city’s affluent neighborhoods, youth of color in Chicago see sides of this city that conflict with the “world class” image the mayor is so preoccupied with projecting. Gang violence, school crowding and closures, and unemployment disproportionally affect the youth. On Saturday, March 28 dozens of young voters gathered in front of the Chicago Board of Elections to early vote for Chuy Garcia. Some were voting for the very first time.
...
In many ways the issues dividing Chicago today are generational as well as racial. The older, white voters in the city are overwhelmingly concerned with the pension crisis. Garcia has been slammed for not providing concrete details about how he will handle the city’s precarious finances.
Many young people, however, must survive gang violence, and get through a school day with a seat in a classroom before they start thinking about retirement. For them, Garcia, who is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Unions, SEIU, and other working class organizations, is a hopeful alternative to a mayor they feel has no interest in them.
