Today, more than 1,000 registered voters on Eastern’s campus are expected to take part in the election process by voting in the presidential election.

Voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Bridge Lounge for on-campus residents, except for those residing in Lincoln Hall, Stevenson Hall, Douglas Hall and University Apartments.

Those residents will vote at the Newman Catholic Center, along with many off-campus residents.

Student Senate Speaker Isaac Sandidge said voting is a founding principle of our democracy.

“It’s highly important that our voices are heard in who our national leaders will be,” he said.

Throughout the day, the Student Action Team will give out Riesens chocolate candy throughout the quad to students.

Each candy will display a “reason” why it is important to vote.

Eric Wilber, chair of the Student Action Team, said the organization was going to provide golf carts to transport students back and forth to the voting areas, but was unable to do so.

“It didn’t go through because we were running into some liability issues,” he said.

At Monday’s Black Student Union meeting, members were given basic information on voting.

Some tips given to members were not to wear any paraphernalia that represents any of the candidates such as shirts, hats or buttons.

This is sign of involuntary endorsement.

Another tip was to make sure that students have their proper documentation when they go vote.

This documentation includes identification such as a driver’s license, state ID or voter registration card.

If someone did not show their ID when registered to vote, two forms of identification are needed.

One has to include your name and Charleston address, which could be a piece of mail, utility bill, lease, housing contract, etc.

BSU will also have a viewing party at 7:30 p.m. in the Cyber Lounge area of the 7th Street Underground.

This will allow students to get together and see the turnout of this year’s election.

During Monday’s meeting, Kendall Jackson, the Web administrator and designer for BSU, showed a PowerPoint presentation to represent “change” in the upcoming election and the struggles blacks went through to get to where they are today.

The presentation was accompanied by music from Sam Cooke titled “A Change is Gonna Come.”

Jackson, a freshman family and consumer sciences major, said the presentation was empowering for all students to watch.

“I thought it was very empowering for black people as well as others to see this,” Jackson said. “No matter if you vote for (Sen. John) McCain or (Sen. Barack) Obama, there is still going to be a change because (George W.) Bush is no longer in office.”

Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.