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The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters is a positive force in the political landscape. We are at the forefront of protecting working men and women gain good wages, benefits, a safe working environment, and the resources to provide for their children, secure for them a secure start in life, and a bright future, so that all carpenters have the opportunity and the means to retire with dignity and respect.

This is why the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters is involved in politics. As a Labor Union representing 47,000 carpenters and tradespeople, the Carpenters' Union must serve as the united voice that protects our members and resolves workplace issues that affect our lives.

Being active in politics and staying in close contact with our members who are in the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives and State Legislatures, we maintain a direct line with lawmakers who can help us promote and defend the rights of workers. We also work to elect local, state, and national leaders who will serve in positions that we support.

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Three simple things you should do:

Register to vote or update your records
Use Early Voting if possible
Vote only at your local polling place

Early Voting in Illinois makes voting easier than ever before
Many registered voters in Illinois are unable to vote in person at the polling place on election day. Early voting was created to allow the voter to vote in a designated polling place during the 22nd day through the 5th day preceding an election without having to supply an excuse or reason. This document provides general information regarding the correct procedures to follow in order to vote early in Illinois. http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/EarlyVoting.pdf

Illinois Political Resources:

How and where in Illinois you can register to vote: http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/Register.aspx

Go to this link for voter registration forms that you can mail: http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/VoteRegForms.aspx

To search for your Illinois elected officials by their name or your address: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx

Iowa Political Resources:

Register to Vote - The Iowa Secretary of State has made the official voter registration available online in a pdf format. You may print this online form and fill it out by hand, please be sure to sign the form before you send it to your county auditor.
Forms - Here is the English voter registration form
Guidelines - Here are the Guidelines for Registering Voters
Polling Places: Contact your county auditor from this site to find out where to vote: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/auditors/AuditorsList.html
To look up your elected officials: http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm (in the upper left hand corner)

Wisconsin Political Resources:

How to register to vote: http://elections.state.wi.us/faq_detail.asp?faqid=119&fid=27&fname=&linkid=

Where to vote:

In the City of Milwaukee: http://www.milwaukee.gov/DISPLAY/router.asp?docid=305

In the City of Madison: http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/clerk/voter_query.cfm

For all other municipalities contact the municipal clerk. Contact information can be found here: Municipal Clerk List

To look up your elected officials: http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm (in the upper left hand corner)

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Legislative Update

For the most recent overview of the Illinois General Assembly, click here.

We urge our Union members, their families, and all working people to know their
elected officials and make them accountable for the votes they cast.

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Click here to look up your elected officials

Enter your zip code (click here to get your 9-digit zip code) , and this link to Project Vote-Smart will help you look up all of your current elected officials and their contact information:

President, Vice President and Cabinet Members
U. S. Congress – U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative
State Officials
- State Senator
- State Representative
- Governor
- Lt. Governor
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Treasurer
County
City Officials

Congressional District Maps are available online, click here.
Just scroll down to the State and District of your choosing, and then preview or print the map.

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When writing your elected officials:

Whether you send a letter by mail, fax or email, here are some simple tips:

Be neat. Make sure your letter is easy to read. You can write it by hand or type it.

Write the greeting of the letter. For example: Dear Senator Smith, Dear Representative Smith, Dear Mayor Smith, Dear Governor Smith, or Dear President Smith

Get right to the point. In the first few sentences, say who you are, where you are from, and why you are writing.

Stick to one issue per letter. For example, you may write to state your support for an issue, to thank an elected official for something he or she has done, or to say that you are for or against a certain.

Support your point. Use the rest of the letter to tell your thoughts, story, and/or ideas. Make the letter personal to you.

Be clear, polite and keep it short
Do not preach or scold. Limit your letter to one page. And, tell the elected official what you would like him or her to do. For example, if you are writing about a bill, say if you want your elected official to vote for or against it.

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Write a Letter-to-the-Editor

to your local newspaper:

If you would like to respond to something your read in your local newspaper, you can write a Letter-to-the-Editor. Below are some writing tips and contact information by zip code:

Write "Letter to the Editor" at the top of your letter, plus the name of the newspaper you are sending it to
Keep your letter to 250 words or less
The shorter, the better
No ranting
Be clear, concise and logical
Avoid name-calling, mudslinging or sarcasm
Be specific, use verified facts, and avoid sweeping generalizations
Submit your name, address and phone number with your letter, so the newspaper can verify authorship. Your street address and phone will not be used.

The newspaper's editors always retain the right to edit. So do not be surprised if the published version is different (usually shorter or something deleted) from what you submitted. If your letter does not get in, keep trying. Many Letters do not make it to print.

Newspaper E-mail addresses by zip code:

ZIP	Newspaper	CITY	ST	"Letter-to-the-Editor" EMAIL ADDRESS
50402	Globe Gazette	Mason City	IA	joe.buttweiler@globegazette.com
50428	Clear Lake Mirror Reporter	Clear Lake	IA	clreport@netins.net
50441	The Hampton Chronicle	Hampton	IA	chroniclenews@iowaconnect.com
50441	Hampton Publishing Company	Hampton	IA	chroniclenews@iowaconnect.com
50525	Wright County Monitor	Clarion	IA	cmonitor@speednet.com
50602	Butler County Tribune Journal	Allison	IA	startj@netins.net
50619	Clarksville Star	Clarksville	IA	startj@netins.net
50635	Northern-Sun Print	Gladbrook	IA	editor@northernsunprint.com
50648	Jesup Citizen Herald	Jesup	IA	webmaster@jesupcitizenherald.com
50801	Creston News Advertiser	Creston	IL	editor@crestonnews.com
52052	Guttenberg Press	Guttenberg	IA	gbpress@alpinecom.net
52208	Belle Plaine Union	Belle Plaine	IA	mjimbo@netins.net
52208	South Benton Star-Press	Belle Plaine	IA	mjimbo@netins.net
52242	The Daily Iowan	Iowa City	IA	daily-iowan@uiowa.edu
52314	The Sun/West Branch Communications Corporation	Mount Vernon	IA	opinion@mtvernonlisbonsun.com
52339	Tama County Publishing	Tama	IA	editor@tamatoledonews.com
52406	The Gazette	Cedar Rapids	IA	editorial@gazettecommunications.com
52601	The Hawk Eye	Burlington	IA	webmaster@thehawkeye.com
52627	Fort Madison Daily Democrat	Fort Madison	IA	editor@dailydem.com
52632	Daily Gate City	Keokuk	IA	editor@dailygate.com
52637	Mediapolis News/Mediapolis Publishing, Inc.	Mediapolis	IA	meponews@mepotelco.net
52732	Clinton Herald	Clinton	IA	cbielema@clintonherald.com
52732	Clinton News Bureau/Gateway Times	Clinton	IA	newsroom@qctimes.com
52761	Muscatine Journal	Muscatine	IA	comments@muscatinejournal.com
52801	River Cities Reader	Davenport	IA	info@rcreader.com
52807	The Leader/Scott County Publishing	Davenport	IA	leader@qconline.com
53012	News Graphic	Cedarburg	WI	mschroeder@conleynet.com
53022	Brookfield Express News/Hometown Publications II, Inc.	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Franklin Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Greenfield Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Jackson Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Hartford Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Menomonee Falls Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Mequon Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Milwaukee Express News-North	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Milwaukee Express News-West	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Muskego Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	New Berlin Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Slinger Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Sussex Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	Wanwatosa Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	West Allis Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53022	West Bend Express News	Germantown	WI	jonesjf@discoverhometown.com
53027	Hartford Times Press	Hartford	WI	timespress@conleynet.com
53066	Oconomowoc Enterprise	Oconomowoc	WI	kpasson@conleynet.com
53105	Burlington Standard Press	Burlington	WI	newsdept@standardpress.com
53105	Westine Report	Burlington	WI	dlockwood@westinereport.com
53181	Westosha Report	Twin Lakes	WI	annette@westoshareport.com
53187	The Freeman	Waukesha	WI	letters@conleynet.com
53201	Milwaukee Journal Sentinel	Milwaukee	WI	jsedit@journalsentinel.com
53202	Milwaukee Magazine	Milwaukee	WI	milmag@qg.com
53203	Shepherd Express	Milwaukee	WI	Editorial Feedback
53204	The Business Journal	Milwaukee	WI	milwaukee@bizjournals.com
53207	Milwaukee Post	Milwaukee	WI	mkepost@conleynet.com
53403	The Journal Times	Racine	WI	opinion@journaltimes.com
60004	Arlington Heights Post	Arlington Heights	IL	Comments/Letter/Press Release
60004	Hoffman Estates Review	Arlington Heights	IL	Comments/Letter/Press Release
60014	Northwest Herald	Crystal Lake	IL	ckrug@nwherald.com
60016	Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Arlington Heights/Topics Newspaper	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Des Plaines Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Elk Grove Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Glenview Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Mt. Prospect Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL	journalnews@mail.com
60016	Niles Journal & Topics Newspapers	Des Plaines	IL

Click here to look up your elected officials

Congressional District Maps are available online, click here. Just scroll down to the State and District of your choosing, and then preview or print the map.

When writing your elected officials:

Write a Letter-to-the-Editor

to your local newspaper:

Congressional District Maps are available online, click here.
Just scroll down to the State and District of your choosing, and then preview or print the map.