Number of registered voters in Chicago low compared to 2008 - Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

Chicago election officials revealed that the number of registered voters in the city has dropped by about 225,000. Only 1.27 million are signed up now, compared to nearly 1-1.5 million eligible voters in 2008.

SEE: Voter Registration Day lands 6 weeks ahead of presidential election

Few in The Loop seemed surprised Tuesday when told registered voter numbers are way down, compared to four years ago. Many had similar theories about what's changed since 2008, when a hometown candidate won the White House.

"I think they expected more in the meaning of more jobs, more people getting out, you know, saving their homes," Gleen Green of Chicago says.

"Maybe there's not the excitement there was four years ago about Obama," Mark Inman from the Palatine area suggests. "I always vote, so I can't really say. But that's what I would guess."

Local election officials readily conceded the point, but believe there's another even bigger reason for the decline: many who voted for the first time four years ago have since moved.

Most kicked off the rolls during this year's federally-mandated canvass of voters, lost their registration because their current address could not be confirmed. A majority were under the age of 35, precisely the most transient population. They have until Oct. 9th to report their new residence and protect their right to vote in the Nov. 6th election. It's never been easier.

"All you need is a simple smart phone, or tablet device," explains Chicago Board of Election Commissioner Langdon Neal. "You go to ChicagoElections.com. You hit the icon, ‘Register to Vote.'"

The Board of Election Commissioners will then send a confirmation to your new address. If it doesn't come back to them undeliverable, your right to vote is restored.  Early voting, by the way begins a week later this year, Oct. 22nd, instead of the 15th.  They nonetheless hope to surpass the 261,000 who voted early in 2008.