Officials report low Chicago voter registration

The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners is reporting that the number of registered voters in the city is at its lowest level since at least 1942, the first year such numbers were kept.

Board spokesman James Allen says about 1.28 million voters were registered in the city as of Monday.

There were 1.31 million voters registered before the primary four years ago, during the election bid by President Barack Obama.

Pointing to the registration numbers, election board chairman Langdon Neal is urging voters to register by Feb. 21, the registration deadline for this year’s March 20 primary.

Chicago voters can register at the board offices, at Illinois Secretary of State offices or by mail with a form downloaded from the board’s website, www.chicagoelections.com.