Saturday event to get out the vote in Elgin

The Elgin Civics Club hopes residents will join a "Walk the Vote" event Saturday morning to encourage voters to go to the polls next month.

Anyone is welcome to join the effort that will target areas of the city with high voter registration numbers but low voter turnout, said Elgin Civics Club founding member Tonya Lucchetti-Hudson.

"One of the main reasons people cite that they don't vote - and this is in general, not just Elgin - is that they don't know anything about the candidates," she said. "We want people to learn enough about the candidates so they feel they can cast an informed vote April 7. We are not out there endorsing any particular candidate."

Formed late last year, the nonpartisan group aims to increase voter participation and involvement in civic activities. Voter turnout in Elgin's 2013 municipal election was an average 9.1 percent in Cook and Kane counties, but several precincts were as low as 4 and 5 percent, with one precinct in the southwest side posting a dismal 2.6 percent turnout.

The Elgin Civics Club's website at elgincivicsclub.com has information about local candidates running in the April 7 election - including for Elgin City Council, Elgin Area School District U-46 and more - and election forums.

The group also hopes to gain insight into voter apathy, Lucchetti-Hudson said.

"We're trying to reach out to those who are taking the time to register but not taking the step to vote - and we want to know why," she said, "to see how we can engage those people in the future."

Saturday's event will begin with a "kickoff" meeting at 9:30 a.m. at Next Door Theater, 15 ½ Ziegler Court in downtown Elgin. Participants will walk or drive to their assigned areas, where they will distribute fliers about the Elgin Civics Club to encourage people to visit its website.

"Some people might be nervous or anxious to go door to door, so that's what the kickoff is," she said. "We'll give them talking points so they get more comfortable."