Your Vote Does Count: What Is Needed to Register to Vote

“My one vote doesn’t count anyway.” Have you said that before? Do you know anyone who has said that? Think about that statement. Elections are won or lost because so many people are apathetic about voting. If you are aware of anything that is happening in our country, then you know that the right to vote is under attack. The attacks are getting worse every day under the guise of ensuring there is no voter fraud happening. Whatever your political affiliation, it is everyone’s civic duty to vote and vote for what is right for all of society, not merely party lines. 

Restricting when and why one may vote through the mail, limiting the amount of ballot return boxes, and prohibiting giving bottled water to the people waiting in line to vote are just some of the new laws that have been put in place in an attempt to reduce voting access. 

In the state of Illinois, you are not required to have picture identification to vote but can still register to vote. The ID that is presented must be valid and any supporting documents must come from the approved voter’s identification list. If you are still not sure, please visit the website run by the United States government which gives you all the information you will need from how to register to vote and everything else you could possibly want to know about voting. It is very important to have your voice heard by making it necessary to ensure that nothing blocks your ability to vote. The time is right now to find out just who and what is set to be voted on. https://vote.gov 

First and foremost are you a registered voter? Do you have a current voter registration card? What is your ward number? Are you an out-of-state student and can you vote in your state’s elections? Over its 250-year history, people have voted in many ways. Voting is the bedrock of our democracy and we must exercise this right. NEIU is a state-run university and we as a campus community rely on the elected officials to have what is best for our education in mind, therefore, it is in our best interest to vote for the candidate that has our best interests at heart. If you are unaware of when the upcoming elections are, you can visit the Illinois State Board of Education website to discover what is happening in Illinois and see what dates are of interest to a voter. https://www.elections.il.gov/ You might not think that your one vote matters but I was made aware at a university-sponsored event that some students who have called the United State home for their entire lives are not able to vote. These students are undocumented students. Our friends and our family are not able to vote because they do not have the ability to do so, but your one vote could be for an issue that they are passionate about or that will impact their lives forever. Your one vote could be their voice. Your one vote can and does affect so much more than you will ever know.  

Listed below are days that you should be aware of in Illinois and if you are an out-of-state student, make sure to know your home state’s voter information so you don’t miss out.

Elections in Illinois, 2022

• Election date: Nov. 8, 2022
• Mail-in registration deadline: Coming soon
• Online registration deadline: Coming soon
• In-person registration deadline: Coming soon

• Early voting starts: Coming soon
• Early voting ends: Coming soon
• Poll times: Coming soon  
• Absentee/mail-in voting deadline: Coming soon

Voting may seem like a daunting task, but remember that you need not vote along party lines. Vote your conscience, vote for what is not just right for you and yours but for what is right for all people, regardless of their skin color, the religion they practice, or who they chose to love or be.   

Jun 28, 2022 is the Illinois primary and yes this is also very important to take part in because this process will allow for a person who then runs in the general election in November. Please be on the lookout for more information on the upcoming election, who will be up for re-election, what are the candidate’s campaigns, who has NEIU’s and other state universities’ best interests at heart, and even information on appearances for various candidates that you might like to attend. I hope that as I walk the campus grounds this fall I see many “I Voted” stickers. Happy Voting.