Energetic marchers get ready for the start of the Chicago Women’s March through Downtown Chicago on Saturday. “I am more excited about the future than I was a year ago,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle after surveying the estimated crowd of 300,000 people at the event. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

Ready to march, Veronica Moore shuffled her feet as she held up a sign made from newspaper and magazine headlines denouncing the president.

With her sign in hand touting messages like “outlook: cloudy,” “Trump fails” and “Washington’s Bummer,” the Fox Lake resident prepared for her second Chicago Women’s March.

“I am here for women’s rights,” Moore said. “I am here because I want to see Trump impeached. He has got to go.”

As the pre-march rally went on longer than expected, Moore joined in an impromptu chant from part of the anxious crowd. “Let us march. Let us march,” she chanted with other crowd members ready to take to the streets.

Marchers head down Jackson Boulevard during the Chicago Women’s March on Saturday. The event drew an estimated 300,000 people. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

Once the march began, Moore proudly joined the ranks that flooded Downtown Chicago.

Sarah Aasheim had to be in Chicago for business this week and decided to come in a few days early to be part of the estimated 300,000 people who took part in Saturday’s Chicago Women’s March.

The Massachusetts resident was joined by family and friends in the march. She was happy to be part of the Chicago event after taking part in last year’s march in Washington D.C.

“This is excellent,” she said while marching along Jackson Boulevard. “Last year, it was about us being together. This year, it is about having a purpose: getting out the vote.”

Speakers at the pre-march rally hammered that point home.

Marchers make their way down Jackson Boulevard during Saturday’s Chicago Women’s March. This year’s theme for the event was “March to the Polls.” (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“In 10 months, 435 congressional seats will be up, 33 senate seats will be up and 36 governorships will be up,” said Tom Steyer, an activist committed to spending $30 million to boost voter turnout in this year’s midterm elections. “… We need to be organized, energized and go to the polls. We need to flip these seats with progressives.”

The second Chicago Women’s March carried the theme “March to the Polls” in an effort to put the focus on the mid-term elections taking place in November.

“This is not just a moment. It is a movement,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan called on marchers to hold three things in their hearts.

Plenty of marchers brought signs expressing their feelings. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“You are perfect … use your power for good … and we are more powerful together,” Madigan said. “We need to continue to elect the right people so we do not lose progress we have made.”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said she was worried that after last year’s emotional turnout that people would put their shirts and signs in a drawer and not be back.

Surveying the crowd, Preckwinkle said, “I am more excited about the future than I was a year ago.”

The County Board president noted that Emily’s List, a political action committee that aims to help elect pro-choice Democratic female candidates to office, has gotten 26,000 calls from women interested in running for office since Donald Trump became president.

“Every day I am reminded that the future is still female,” said Quiana McKenzie of Emily’s List.

Rally participants hold up their signs prior to the Chicago Women’s March. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

Jaquie Algee, co-founder of the Chicago Women’s March, said people upset with the current state of government in Washington need to be active in supporting candidates in the March and November elections and in getting family and friends out to the polls.

“This is the time. It’s all about getting people to vote,” Algee said.

Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia noted that she is only the second female to hold that position since the city was incorporated in 1837. “We cannot rest until the 50^th woman has served in that position,” Valencia said.

The clerk also took a shot a President Donald Trump’s recent slight of other countries.

“I am the proud daughter of a Mexican immigrant and Mexico is not a s***hole country,” Valencia said.

Celina Villanueva of the New Americans Democracy Project and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights related that she got a voicemail message last week from an older white man, ripping her for her work on behalf of undocumented individual. The caller said that she should be silent on the issue.

Rally participants listen to speakers prior to the march. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“Until my last breath I will be led by my beliefs,” Villanueva said. “I will continue to fight for immigrants.”

Chicago Ald. Michele Smith (43^rd) said she was the victim of sexual assault and harassment and was at the rally to make sure her 6-year-old granddaughter does not have to endure such things.

“This is where it stops,” Smith said. “This is where we turn the page.”

Rally participants make their points through signs. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

— Women’s March’s lasting message: Get out the vote . —