By April Alonso and Abel Rodriguez

Cicero Independiente reporters talked to voters on election day about voting during a pandemic and their hopes for the next four years. We also talked to them about the 2021 local elections and asked them what resources they need to be better prepared to vote next year. We followed up with some of them a few days later after the presidential election was called on November 7.

We learned a lot about how residents utilize their vote for change and the information they’d like to see to help them vote in local elections, such as having basic information about the people running for local office.

We need your help to shape our local elections coverage for next year. Let us know what issues you care about and what information you would like to know by filling out WBEZ’s survey here. WBEZ is a media outlet in Chicago that produces news to amplify public conversation by telling the stories that matter; stories that provoke thought, entertain, capture emotion and inspire action. We’ll be partnering with them for some elections coverage next year.

Dalia Gonzalez, 65

Dalia Gonzalez came out to vote with her daughter at their polling location on November 3rd, 2020. (Photo by April Alonso).

Dalia Gonzalez has been voting for 15 years. She thinks voting is a way for young people to elect officials who will look out for the people in this country and is a way to hold elected officials accountable to their promises.

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“Hopefully there will be more respect for us as humans and [the government] will take us into account. Mr. Biden is telling us that he will support us, that he will support legalization for more people. That is something fabulous and we will have to see. If he doesn’t, we’ll have to go for him.”

What would you like to know to help inform you for next year’s local elections?

“I would like to know who represents us, where they are from and who they are. I’m a somewhat gossipy grandma, right!”

How do you feel about the election results being called in favor of Biden?

“Really, it is still a little bit confusing because with Mr. Trump we don’t know what will happen. Really I trust in God, that he will choose someone who will help bring politics back. Hopefully there will be more unison, more respect. Well this man [Biden] says he will give papers to immigrants and those who are in need. That will be very important.”

What do you feel should be a priority for Biden to address once in office?

“I can’t say completely what this man should do because in reality, there are so many things. He is barely going to start and we still don’t know if he will be able to start. He should organize our country and ensure that there isn’t as much abuse. All of us are human and our world should matter to us on how we leave it for our children.”

What went through your mind as the days went by and we didn’t know who won the election?

“I was restless. I feared that the demonstrations would start again and that they would impeach the person who wins. I really expected demonstrations from either side...today we have shown that united we are a force. If we want our world to be better, we have to unite and want to diligently support each other, we have to unite people. We have to have respect and value and do it with dignity and with words and actions.”

Rigoberto Chavez, 59

Rigoberto Chavez votes at his polling location in Cicero on November 3rd, 2020. (Photo by Irene Romulo).

What brings you out to vote?

“Because I want them to take Trump out. He isn’t supporting us, the minority. He is only supporting white people.”

Do you know why there are people here, outside, handing out pamphlets about candidates?

“It’s publicity because every candidate is looking for votes for themselves, for the good of themselves, not for the good for someone. It’s purely for the candidates.”

What went through your mind as the days went by and we didn’t know who won the election?

“[I was] a bit nervous because a lot of people were saying that the winner was Donald Trump, well Biden, pues es mi gallo, that’s why he won, because I voted for him.”

What do you feel should be a priority for Biden to address once in office?

“I would want, at the very least, for DREAMers to get their citizenship, not just residents, they should be citizens. They came as kids and don’t know any other country.”

Aereanna Gallegos, 18, first time voter

Aereanna Gallegos is a first time voter in Cicero and voted on Election Day. (Phot by April Alonso).

Gallegos believes that people have the power to change who is in office and thereby change what is happening in this country. She believes we can all help to change the conditions around us. Gallegos believes it is important to know who is representing you and what they stand for.

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“I just want the general environment that we live in to become more accepting. I don't think we're anywhere close to being 100 percent accepting so I just hope that with the four years, depending on our candidate, we can create a better environment within the country.”

What would you like to know to help inform you for next year’s local elections?

“When I was going in to vote, I was like, there's so many names I don't know on here. I generally wanted to know who they are. If I'm choosing just randomly, I don't know their causes. For all I know, they could be like, horrible people. So I want to know more about who I'm voting for.”

Brandon, 20, first time voter

Brandon is a Cicero resident who voted for the first time on November 3rd, 2020. (Photo by April Alonso).

Brandon had an easy time becoming a registered voter but voting for his first time was a bit overwhelming. Brandon did not know how to fill out the ballot and had to ask a poll worker for help.

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“I just hope that it's a lot more fair towards those who aren't making as much money, like a big conversation is fair tax. I believe it should be done. Because it’s not fair for those working, barely making minimum wage, living check to check and having to pay these high tax rates, compared to the other higher ups that are making all this money. They don't know what it's like and it's just not fair.

I just hope that whoever is in office, can help bring everyone together. Enough with the fighting, enough of hating, equal rights for the LGBTQ community and more rights for immigrants. The country was built off of immigrants, we immigrated here. So I don't see why there's so much discussion and hate towards that.”

What would you like to know to help inform you for next year’s local elections?

“I don't think there's enough information on who we should be voting for or who the people running are. I would like for that to be well known.”

Lisette Lopez

Lisette Lopez is a Cicero resident who wants to encourage others, especially young voters, to exercise their right to vote and create change.

How do you feel about the election results being called in favor of Biden?

“I actually feel extremely happy. I am glad that it turned out the way it did with Biden winning that was my hope. I'm glad that everybody that voted in his favor made this happen, we made history. Kamala is making history because she's Back as well as Indian and first woman vice president.”

What went through your mind as the days went by and we didn’t know who won the election?

“To be honest, in the first couple of days, I was extremely surprised that Trump was still up, that he had the amount of votes and was still winning.”

What do you feel should be a priority for Biden to address once in office?

“One thing that I feel that Biden is going to approach [is] DACA, just given what has happened in the last four years. As a student, and as somebody who owes student loans, I really, really want him to pay attention to our educational system and healthcare systems. I'm a true believer that something good has to come out of this. I'm hoping that he creates some positive change for everyone.

Due to the fact that we're living in a pandemic, I just truly feel that he needs to provide for individuals of low income families, individuals whose immigration status in this country is not legal and focusing on providing health care services. You need food, you need shelter over your head, healthcare should be treated the same. The healthcare system should provide access to everybody, regardless of people's immigration status and or economic status.”

What would you like to know to help inform you for next year’s local elections?

“We still have older individuals living in Cicero so we can’t just count on the internet. We need more information like your newspaper because it is bilingual and allows Latinos living in Cicero that don't speak English, the ability to learn about what's going on, so that they can motivate the young generations they're living with to go get up and vote. We need more information about each candidate that's going to be running in the elections and everything.”

Javier, 29

Javier votes at his polling location, Goodwin Elementary School, on Election Day. (Photo by April Alonso).

Javier is a Cicero resident who hopes to see progress moving forward with the new president.

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“Progress in everything moving forward for the people who seek support, like DREAMers and people who are in need because there is a lot of suffering.”

What would you like to know to help inform you for next year’s local elections?

“That there is more published about the candidates to see what are their values and principles. Even now we don’t know who we vote for sometimes and that is why many don’t participate in these type of events.”

What else would you like for people to know?

“That everyone does their part and hopefully whoever wins, will lead us to a better place.”

Manuel G. Jr. 30 years old

Manuel G Jr. votes on Nov 3rd, 2020 at his polling location in Cicero at Goodwin Elementary. (Photo by April Alonso)

Manuel G is a Cicero resident who is “big on politics”. He thinks that the people who run local elections are very selective.

What brings you out to vote today?

“I don't agree with what's going on in the bigger picture.”

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“Just less lying, they're gonna lie no matter what. Hopefully less lying.”

How do you feel about the elections?

“Generally about the election, I just don't get it. I don't like that people are being pushed towards a very dramatic sense and being aggressive on their side of whatever they believe in and vote for.”

Micheal, 27

Michael stands outside his polling location on Election Day in Cicero, IL. (Photo by Abel Rodriguez)

Micheal took election day off to vote. The day before, driving on the I-55 he said he witnessed Humvees and other military vehicles making their way towards the city so he feared there would be civil unrest. His first time voting was in 2018.

What brings you out to vote?

“I have a lot of family that are really close to me that are here and don't have papers.

I don't like the way Trump's been acting. We got to get Trump out of it. It might happen. It might not. I also want to set a good example for my son.”

How do you feel about voting in person during the pandemic, any concerns?

“These politicians, they act like what they did in the past don't matter. This guy [Trump] has past issues and a history of racism, not just against my people, but people of color. In my mind I was already going to be voting the pandemic didn't change that. I wasn't going to vote by mailI was to come vote [in person.]”

Lisa

Lisa is a Cicero voter who thinks it is important for children to be in school with in- person learning. She wants to see more progress reducing of the COVID-19 positivity rates in the area.

What do you hope to see in the next 4 years?

“Good stuff like schools. You know, [Trump] he didn't do anything for the COVID-19. Nothing. He still got stuff that was open, people still catching it. The kids need to go to school. You know, they need to be in school, instead of out of school being on Chromebooks. They need to be hands-on with the teachers. Oh, it's just crazy, him being in the seat and he's not doing anything.”

April Alonso is a co-founder of Cicero Independiente and Abel Rodriguez is a reporter with Cicero Independiente.