(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- After low turnout among young people in February's general election, Chicago youth groups held an event Monday with a state official to encourage young people to show up to the polls Tuesday.
Tameka Lawson's son is only 16, but Lawson says showing up and getting him an ID so that he's prepared for his first election was a priority -- even if her son wasn't the most excited about it.
"I don't think that he necessarily understands the direct impact that all of this will have on him. He's still learning, and he's still young, but I'm completely excited for him,” she said.
And getting young people to understand the impact of voting is something Miracle Boyd with Good Kids Mad City says is crucial, especially since only 3 percent of ballots cast in February were by young people.
"If we had young people that were so eager to vote and really enthused about what each of the candidates were saying, more people would've been out sooner,” Boyd said.
She was optimistic that young Chicago voters will bring that 3 percent number up this week.
"I'm excited to see double digits,” she said.
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