Live Updates: Elections 2020 In Illinois

Deidre Howard and Allison Naval, volunteers with the group Election Protection, were stationed across the street from a polling place in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Howard described Election Protection as a nonpartisan group that is part of a coalition of organizations in Illinois that look for ways to safeguard elections. One of the things they do is monitor polling locations for any signs of voter intimidation.

Naval had been out since 6 a.m. and plans to stay until the polls close at 7 p.m.

“I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18, but I’ve never gotten involved in any kind of election work until now,” she said.

Howard, 27, said she’s done some phone banking during previous elections, but this is her first time volunteering on Election Day.

“I was looking for some way to help out, make sure voters get their questions answered,” she said.