With Car Caravans And Megaphones, Groups Get Creative Urging Latino Neighborhoods To Vote

LITTLE VILLAGE — A lively dozen-car caravan traveled through Little Village Tuesday morning encouraging neighbors to get out and vote in the general election.

Representatives from The Resurrection Project, Enlace, Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, and SGA Youth & Family Services drove through the majority Latino neighborhood on the Southwest Side to remind people they could register to vote on the spot at the polls Tuesday, said David Louridas, senior policy and program manager at the Resurrection Project.

After wrapping up in Little Village, the group will set out caravan through Pilsen from 1-3 p.m. and Back of the Yards from 4-6 p.m.

For the first time this year, Latinos are expected to be the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority eligible to vote in a U.S. presidential election, according to Pew Research Center.

Latinos are projected to make up 13.3 percent of the electorate with 32 million eligible voters, according to the study released in January. 

“There are many people who can vote, and are citizens, and they are essentially voting for those who can’t. That’s part of our call, as well,” Louridas said. 

Credit: Mauricio Peña/ Block Club Chicago

Cars and SUVs participating in the caravan were plastered with posters reading “sal a votar” — “get out and vote” and “haz que se escuche tu voz” — “make your voice heard.”

As they passed down residential blocks, group members yelled through a megaphone to tell neighbors which polling place they should vote at.

The group focused their caravan on blocks that traditionally have a low census completion rate. Louridas said low census tracts typically also have low voter participation.

Credit: Mauricio Peña/ Block Club Chicago

Credit: Mauricio Peña/ Block Club Chicago

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