Celebrate National Voter Registration Day

Register to vote on National Voter Registration Day Sept. 22.

“It’s important for students to have their voice heard and to make sure that who they feel should represent them is in the representative role,” said Spencer Long, director of UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement.

Once students have registered, they can learn where they can vote and make a pledge to vote. Students also can request a mail-in ballot.

“A lot of people don’t think their vote matters or their vote counts, but in the last election there was a huge number of people that didn’t vote, and it can sway the election,” Long said.

Empowering students to become active citizens is a key part of UIC’s mission. UIC received the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s “Best Campus Action Plan” for 2018 and gold seal for having a campus voting rate between 40% and 49% in the 2018 midterm election.

UIC Fraternity and Sorority Life is hosting a competition to see how many students they can get registered to vote Sept. 22. Participate here.

Students also can sign up to be an election judge in Cook County.

“There’s a huge need for election judges — that’s a paid opportunity,” Long said.

UIC will be hosting early voting from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28-30 in Student Center East.

For more information about voter registration, visit Student Leadership and Civic Engagement’s website.