Compiled by Lynda Lopez, News and Public Affairs Intern

After 21 years of Mayor Daley, the city of Chicago is getting ready to elect a new leader. The election, which is set for February 22nd, has become one of the most contested in the city's recent history. There are currently 6 candidates running for office, including former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel and former chairman of the City Colleges of Chicago Gery Chico.

There has been no lack of coverage on the election, as every major media outlet is putting the candidates under public scrutiny. With an endless amount of coverage on the mayoral candidates, it can be quite difficult to filter through the media cloud to find the actual important content.It is important to make the right decision on election day, as the future of the city is going to be shaped by our new mayor. In order to facilitate your voting in February, here is a handy resource guide containing everything from how to register to vote to the best websites for candidate information.

Eligibility to vote:
-- be a U.S. citizen;
-- be at least 18 years of age by election day;
-- live in your precinct at least 30 days before the election;
-- not be in prison/jail serving time for a conviction; and,
-- not claim the right to vote elsewhere

How to register to vote:
-- by submitting this mail-in form. This form can be used: to register for the first time; to file a change of address; or, to file a change of name.
-- in person at 69 W. Washington St., Sixth Floor.
-- at any Secretary of State's office where driver's licenses and state IDs are issued.
-- through an active deputy registrar affiliated with a local organization, such as a political party, ward organization or other state-certified body.

Last day to register to vote is on January 25, 2011!
If you miss the deadline, you can still register until February 15th if you...
Pass by the Chicago Board of Elections in person at 69 W. Washington 6th Floor
To find your polling place, go to Chicagoelections.com/voterinfo

Voting Early
You can vote early starting January 31st until February 17th. Go to chicagoelections.com to find out which locations have "Early Voting."

On Election Day:
Election Day is Tuesday, February 22nd. Polling places are open from 6am-7pm.
If a candidate does not receive the majority of votes (50%+1 vote), there might be a "Run-Off Election" on Tuesday, April 5th.

Mayoral Candidate websites
William Walls: http://wallsformayor.com/
Rahm Emmanuel: http://www.chicagoforrahm.com
Carol Moseley Braun: http://carolforchicago.com/
Miguel Del Valle: http://www.delvalleformayor.com/
Gery Chico: http://www.gerychicoformayor.com/
Patricia Van Pelt Watkins: http://www.patriciaforchicago.com/

Election News Sites
http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=481786
http://www.earlyandoften.org
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/elections/
http://www.examiner.com/chicago-mayoral-election-2011-in-chicago
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/index.html

Volunteer for the election
Rahm Emmanuel: http://www.chicagoforrahm.com/action/volunteer
Gery Chico: http://www.gerychicoformayor.com/get_involved.aspx
Carol Moseley Braun: https://services.myngp.com/ngponlineservices/volunteer.aspx?X=4sEYvJt99957195ouYMbmQ%3d%3d
Patricia Van Pelt Watkins: http://patriciaforchicago.blackdogcreativegroup.com/about/
Miguel Del Valle: http://www.delvalleformayor.com/2010/11/join-volunteer-team.html
William Walls: http://wallsformayor.com/volunteer-signin/

UCSC accepts story submissions from contributing writers that take a timely national issue and examine it in the local perspective. To join the pool, or learn more, visit http://tiny.cc/ucsc-civic-journalist.