CHICAGO (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama has cast her ballot at a polling place on Chicago’s South Side.

Obama voted in Illinois’ election at the Martin Luther King Community Center on Thursday. As she left, she told the election judges to make sure that everyone is voting early.

Anna Roberts voted near the first lady, and she became emotional, describing the experience as very moving. Roberts says she came to the polling place after hearing Obama planned to vote while she was in town, in hopes of seeing her.

The first lady came to Chicago on Wednesday to raise money for U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias (jeh-NOO’-lee-ehs) and Democrats running for Congress.

Giannoulias is locked in a tight race with Republican Mark Kirk for President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.