Voter Registration

According to the National Higher Education Act of 1998, colleges and universities in the U.S. are required to make a "good faith" effort to distribute voter registration forms to every student and to make such forms widely available. The National Mail Voter Registration Form is the one document that allows you to register to vote from anywhere in the U.S. In order to register to vote, you must be a citizen of the U.S. and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. National Louis University encourages all students to participate in the electoral process by registering to vote and voting.

• Illinois voters can download a printable application. The application is available in both English and Spanish. Please be advised that normally Illinois residents must register to vote no later than 29 days before the election in which they wish to vote. However, it's also possible to register online at https://ova.elections.il.gov/ through February 12, 2023, as well as at Early Voting sites before the election. In fact, in Illinois there is also Election Day registration in the voter's home precinct.
• Non-Illinois voters can download a general application form. The application is available in both English and Spanish. In completing this application, be sure to follow the general instructions as well as the application instructions and specific state instructions for your state, which includes the address to use for mailing the application.

NLU has a partnership with All in Campus Democracy Challenge, an organization that helps increase student voter registration and engagement. To join, click here. 

Chicago Municipal Election: February 28, 2023

Key Election Dates

Nov. 30 - Feb. 23: Apply for Vote By Mail ballot

• Ballot must be postmarked by March 17

January 31: Deadline for mailed or delivered paper voter-registration applications

PRIMARY VOTERS MUST DECLARE A POLITICAL PARTY

Feb. 1 - Feb. 27: Early Voting & Registration

• Loop Super Site, 191 N Clark St. and Board of Elections Office
• Register and vote at the same time

February 12: Online voter registration deadline

Feb. 13- Feb. 27: Early Voting & Registration

• Locations in all 50 wards
• Register and vote at the same time

February 28: ELECTION DAY (6 am-7 pm)

• Register/Vote at your assigned polling place

Information at Chicago Board of Elections (see QR)

Chicago voters will elect:

• Mayor
• City Clerk
• City Treasurer
• Alderpersons (one in each of the city's 50 wards)
• Police District Council Members, Three in each of the 22 Police Districts
• Local Referenda (if applicable)

If a candidate receives more than 50% of the votes for any office on February 28, that candidate will be elected.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes for any office on February 28, the two candidates who received the most votes will be on the April 4 ballots in a run-off election.

Citizens who will be 18 before or on Election Day may register and vote.

National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE): 2015-2019

NSLVE is a signature initiative of the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education (IDHE) at Tufts University's Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.  IDHE is an applied research center focused on college student political learning and participation in democracy. IDHE researchers study voting, campus conditions for political learning and discussion, closing equity gaps in participation, and increasing student agency and participation. Launched in 2013, the NSLVE initiative now encompasses more than 1,000 colleges and universities that have signed up to receive their voting rates.

The voter registration and voting rates in NSLVE 2012-2016 Voting Report and 2014-2018 Voting Report reflect the percentage of NLU students who were eligible to vote and voted in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, as well as 2014 and 2018 midterm elections. 

SUMMARY

Voting Rate for NLU

2012 (presidential): 64.6%; 2016 (presidential): 67.5%;

2014 (midterm): 39.1%; 2018 (midterm): 47.9%  

Voting Rate for All Institutions

2012 (presidential): 47.6%; 2016 (presidential): 50.6%;

2014 (midterm): 19.7%; 2018 (midterm): 39.1%  

In sum, on average NLU students are more politically engaged than their peers at across 1,000+ colleges and universities participating in NSLVE.