Barack, Michelle Obama vote early in Chicago

Former President Barack Obama and ex-First Lady Michelle cast votes Monday at the city of Chicago’s early voting center, arriving about 12:30 p.m. at the 191 N. Clark St. “supersite.”

Obama greeted poll workers when he arrived. The couple stood at adjoining booths filling out their ballots. At one point the former president took a piece of paper out of his jacket and seemed to look at it.

He joked that he missed the days of straight-ticket voting, making a reference to “Punch 10,” which Cook County Democrats, back in the day, used to much success, partly because it eliminated the need for voters to go through a ballot and mark their choices, and the number was easy for voters to remember.

Obama quipped that back then, he was able to “get out some aggression” and “some frustrations” with the punch ballots.

The Obamas are in the city for a few days for Obama Foundation events — with youths, donors and others.

After voting, Michelle Obama said in a tweet, “Today, I voted early in the 2022 midterm elections! I want to see you turning out to vote with your voting squad. Barack’s in my #VotingSquad — who’s in yours? Tag them below and remind them to register and make a plan to vote.”

She is a founder of the group When We All Vote, devoted to spurring people to register and vote in elections. Michelle Obama also said in a tweet, “Visit http://WhenWeAllVote.org to check your voter registration and make a plan to vote ahead of the midterms.”

The former president will be hitting the campaign trail to stump for Democrats in the swing states of Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan. There are no plans — so far — for Obama to headline a get-out-the-vote rally in Illinois — something he has done in previous years.

Obama usually spends his political time in races where he can make a difference, and Democrats in Illinois are heading to the Nov. 8 balloting in good shape. That’s why he will be headed to Atlanta, Detroit and Milwaukee this month for get-out-the-vote events.

On Oct. 28, Obama will be in Atlanta; the next day, Oct. 29, Obama will headline an early vote event in Detroit and in Milwaukee Wisconsin for Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. — and Senate candidate — Mandela Barnes.