Chicago mayoral race: Police presence at Highland Park school disrupts 18,000 voters
Rachel Schilke
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Heavy police presence at an Illinois high school forced three polling locations to lock down, affecting almost 18,000 voters in Lake County hoping to place their ballot for the Chicago mayoral election.
Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega alerted voters within his county on Tuesday morning that there was a heavy police presence at Highland Park High School following reports of a student in possession of a gun.
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Polling locations at Braeside Elementary School, Red Oak Elementary School, and Highland Park Public Library, which serve 16 precincts total, went into lockdown, halting “all voter services at these locations at this time.”
The clerk’s office told the Washington Examiner that 17,866 voters would be affected by these lockdowns: 6,945 voters at Braeside Elementary, 6,148 voters at Red Oak Elementary, and 4,773 voters affected at Highland Park Public Library.
“All voters currently unable to vote at Braeside Elementary School, Red Oak Elementary School, or Highland Park Public Library may visit the Lake County Clerk’s Office at 18 N County St, Waukegan, IL 60085 to vote if they would prefer not to wait,” the office said.
Voters were unable to place their ballots at the locations from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT when the lockdown was lifted.
Highland Park High School had released a statement early on Tuesday regarding the police presence on campus.
“HPHS has been placed on a lockdown due to a report of a student potentially in possession of a gun at school. There are no reported shots fired. Students and school staff should remain in place to facilitate the work of law enforcement to secure the building. The City will provide an update once the building has been secured.”
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Highland Park was the site of a mass shooting on July 4, 2022, after a person opened fire at a Fourth of July parade, killing seven people and injuring 54 others.
Robert “Bobby” Crimo faces 21 charges of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder, and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in August 2022.