CHICAGO: President Bar­ack Obama cast his ballot on Monday during a visit in his hometown of Chicago two weeks ahead of Nov 4 mid-term elections.

“I love voting. Everybody in Illinois, early vote. It’s a wonderful opportunity,” Obama said after submitting his vote at the Martin Luther King Jr Park & Family Entertainment Centre.

“The way we win any election is making sure we turn out. “Obama brought donuts and other pastries to the polling station and worked his way around the room.

“Michelle sent these. We got broccoli, carrots,” Obama joked about the pastries, in reference to his wife’s health and nutrition campaign.

During a rally supporting Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s re-election campaign on Sunday, Obama had urged Democrats to turn out in large numbers to offset the Republicans’ usually higher turnout.

“You’ve got to grab your friends. You’ve got to grab your coworkers. Don’t just get the folks who you know are going to vote,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014