UIC rocks the vote

UIC students register to vote Tuesday. Photo: Vibhu S. Rangavasan

Between classes Tuesday, students took a few minutes to enjoy music on the Quad and prepare for this election year.

In partnership with Rock the Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that aims to make voting easier, the university continued its UIC Votes campaign to drive students to the polls. On National Voter Registration Day, students registered to vote, found their Illinois polling location or submitted absentee ballot applications in just a few easy steps.

“A lot of students are too busy to look for opportunities to register,” said Taylor Pettiford, a junior in political science. She’s an intern for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a nonpartisan group with the largest on-the-ground effort in Illinois to turn out young voters. At most, students spent a few minutes with Pettiford to register before rushing off to class or study breaks.

And motivating students to vote in the Nov. 8 election is important because “millennials are the largest voting population,” said Bryan Barnes, a student in LAS.

“We’re trying to get people registered so that our voices are heard in this election process,” he said.

Jon Cruz, a junior in psychology, felt strongly about voting. He stopped and registered before heading to the library.

“It’s important that UIC votes because we are the future,” said Cruz, who is a first-time voter. “Every vote matters.”

The Rock the Vote event is part of UIC Vote’s civic engagement opportunities for students, and a push to make the university a more voter-friendly campus. Another voter registration table will be set up in the Student Services Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday and a vice presidential candidate debate watch party will be held in the Student Center East Inner Circle from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Use #UICVotes to share your experience.