With the upcoming election approaching, college campuses around the nation participated in National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 17. 

But if you missed voter registration day, don’t worry. There is still time to register. 

Eastern’s campus has been promoting voting and holding stations to make sure students’ voices are heard in this upcoming election. 

The university’s Office of Leadership and Engagement, student government and the National Association of Colored Women’s Club Inc. teamed up to present students with the opportunity to register to vote for the nation’s future.  

Leaders of the stated organizations set up in Booth Library at 11 a.m. on Sept. 17. They patiently waited for people to come across their station before asking, “Are you registered to vote?” 

Anyone can register to vote at the county clerk’s office through Election Day, according to the Illinois Board of Election’s website. If a person votes in the correct precinct in Illinois, they do not need to provide identification to vote. 

Online registration to vote is open until midnight on Oct. 20.  

Those interested in registering can fill out a registration form at the Illinois online voter application page. 

In order to apply online, applicants will need an Illinois driver’s license or state ID number and the last four digits of their social security number. 

To vote in Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen, must be at least 17 on or before the date of the primary election and turn 18 on or before the date of the General or Consolidated Election, must live where you are registered to vote at least 30 days prior to election day, must not be serving a sentence and must not be registered anywhere else. 

On registration day, if students were not registered, the Booth Library helpers would set them up in a few short minutes. After registering, the students could leave with a shirt, a sticker and a bag.  

Alex Warwick, a second-year graduate student, helped set up the event.  

Warwick said he was providing information on how to get registered rather than information on the electoral candidates.  

He said he wanted to express the importance of this election and what it means to be registered to vote.   

The deadline to submit a vote-by-mail application is Oct. 31, according to the Illinois election website. 

Applying to vote by mail is different depending on where you are registered. For those in Illinois, the Illinois election website has a list of applications on its website sorted by county.  

For those living on campus but registered in another place looking to vote this year, there are a few options. The first is by registering to vote in Coles County, but if that is off the table, they can apply for a mail-in vote or travel home. 

Applying to vote by mail is different depending on the state, but information can be found online.  

Aislynn Taylor, a senior elementary education major, helped with getting people registered on registration day as well.  

She said a lot of students were friendly and were not registered to vote prior to coming to the table.  

Taylor also expressed why she thought it was important to vote as well.  

“It’s important to vote because everyone has certain beliefs that we want to fight for and we believe in that we want to help make our country a better place for everyone and make sure everyone is respected,” she said. “As a citizen, I feel like it’s our duty.” 

Taylor also recommended that people vote early if they can. 

Early voting in Illinois runs from Sept. 26 through Nov. 4. More information can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections page. 

Once 2 p.m. came on registration day, Warwick and Taylor left. Then another station was set up in the Martin Luther King Jr., University Union across from the food court at 3 p.m. Students had the same opportunity to register until 5 p.m. 

Women of the National Association of Colored Women’s Club Inc. were at the forefront of the desk. They also informed students on the importance of being registered to vote. 

If you are unsure whether or not you are registered to vote, you can check on the Illinois State Board of Elections page.  

For those not registered in Illinois, pages can be found to check registration status for those states as well, like on Indiana’s voter portal page. 

Election Day is Nov. 5.  

Alli Hausman contributed to this story.