Dear Illinois Students,

Democracy relies on each of you to participate in helping to shape our Illini community and your communities at home. Voting is one way that each of you can participate in civic engagement and it is part of our collective responsibility as citizens of the United States of America.

Early voting has begun in the State of Illinois, and we encourage you take advantage of this opportunity, or submit your application for an absentee ballot if you are not registered to vote in Champaign County. Any qualified voter may cast a ballot prior to Election Day, Tuesday, November 6. Early voting in Champaign County can be done at the County’s Clerk Office located at 1776 E. Washington St., Urbana, IL 61802. Get more information about early voting. 

The University of Illinois, Illini Union, Room 404 will be an early voting site beginning October 25.

For those who are registered to vote outside of Champaign County, we encourage you to vote via absentee ballot. If you are a resident of Illinois, your request for a ballot must be received by November 1, 2018 by the “election authority for the jurisdiction in which you are registered.” Learn how to obtain an absentee ballot.  If you are not a resident of Illinois, you should review information about voting by mail for your state.

In the event that you need to register to vote, or change your address to vote in Champaign County for the upcoming election, you still have time. You have the option of online voter registration for the State of Illinois. As every state has their own guidelines for voter registration, you should review your home state requirements if you are an out-of-state student.

Regardless of where or when you vote, we hope you will participate in the Big Ten Voting Challenge events sponsored by the Illinois Student Government. Some of the events include:

• October 18: Rodney Davis and Betsy Dirksen Londrigan Debate Campus Wide Watch Parties. Visit the Illinois Student Government web site for further details. 
• October 26: Pollopaloza 2018 from 11am-3pm in Anniversary Plaza. Meet candidates, student organizations, and learn more about issues impacting your community.

Again, participation in voting is one way to engage in our democracy. We hope that you take the time to make your voices heard. Learn more about voter registration.

Dr. Danita M. B. Young
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs