More Chances To Register On National Voter Registration Day

Tuesday, Sept. 24, is National Voter Registration Day. Election officials have set aside the fourth Tuesday of September as a day to raise awareness of the importance of registering and voting.

“Voting is a civic duty and you can’t vote if you don’t register,” said Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons. Staff from his office will be at the cafeteria of Parkland College in Champaign from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. Tuesday, to register new voters.

Meanwhile, local libraries in Champaign-Urbana will host voter registration drives with the League of Women Voters of Champaign County. They will be held Tuesday, from 2 to 4 P.M. at the Urbana Free Library (corner of Race and Green Streets), and from 3 to 6 P.M. at the Champaign Public Library Douglass Branch (504 E. Grove).

The library voter drive events are part of the League of Women Voters’ nationwide drive for National Voter Registration Day. The organization says more than two million Americans have registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day, since the event was founded in 2012.

Voter registration is available throughout the year at the election offices of local county clerk, as well as local election commissions, such as the Danville Election Commission.

In Clinton, the local public library maintains a voter registration desk. Samantha Rusk, business manager for the Vespasian Warner Public Library (310 N Quincy, Clinton), says they can register any DeWitt County resident who is a U.S. citizen and has a state I.D. card, such as a driver’s license.

“All you need to do,” said Rusk, “for those voters who are 18 years of age and above, or of course if you are going to be 18 by the time the election comes, you can come with your driver’s license, and we’ll help you with everything you need to do to get ready to vote.”

The next general election is a little over 13 months away, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The Illinois primary will be held in six months, on March 17, 2020. Under Illinois law, 17-year-olds may vote in the primary election, if they will be 18 by the time of the general election.

Citizens in Illinois may also register to vote online, at the Illinois State Elections Board website , and through vote.org . Voters are registered after the data they submit has been checked with state I.D. records.