Speak Your Mind: Go Vote!

Candidate Information	Project Vote Smart is a citizen's organization that provides accurate, unbiased information for voters about national and state-level elections.  Take a look, get informed, and go vote! Fact Check is another source for nonpartisan information about the election. It focuses on checking the accuracy of factual claims by the presidential candidates.  It is sponsored by the Annenberg School of Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. President Match from AOL and Time Magazine includes a questionnaire that asks you about your position on various issues and then tells you which candidate's positions you most agree with.  (no longer working as of 5/25/2005) Open Secrets tracks campaign contributions: who is giving them, who is getting them.  It includes congressional and presidential candidates.  This information is also available from the Federal Election Commission, a government agency. Political Parties: Learn about the Democratic party and presidential candidate John Kerry. Learn about the Republican party and presidential candidate George W. Bush. Learn about third party and Independent presidential candidates to get a full picture of the election.
Register to Vote on Campus	If you are a citizen of the U.S. and reside in Champaign County, we can register you to vote at the Government Documents Library.  Just bring two forms of identification, one with your local address on it (a utility bill, dorm contract, or bank statement, for example), and we will get you set up to participate in democracy!  A deputy registrar is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..  The whole process takes about ten minutes, so stop by today!  Registration for the November election ends on October 5. Another option is to register at kiosks on the lower level of the Undergraduate Library or in the Illini Union. The kiosks are available during all open hours. (Undergraduate Library:  Monday-Thursday 8am-3am, Friday 8am-7pm, Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 1pm-3am. The Illini Union:  Sunday-Thursday 7am-midnight, Friday and Saturday 7am-1am.)  If you choose this option, you will need to bring your identification to the polling place the first time you vote. If you're already registered, congratulations!  But remember to update your local address if you have moved since the last election.  Address changes can be made at any of the registration locations listed above.
Local Links	Register to vote in Champaign County.  New to the area but not on campus?  Need to get registered?  This County Clerk site has all the details. Make sure to register before October 5, or you will not be able to vote in the November 2 election. Polling Places  Already registered?  Find out where to vote in Champaign County by looking up your election district on a list or by entering your name to find your election district and polling place. WILL -AM and TV are providing coverage of races and issues in east central Illinois.  Check out their site for the chance to hear candidate interviews and more. The League of Women Voters of Champaign County is a nonpartisan, political organization.  Their site offers local and national links along with ways to get involved.
Get Informed And Go Vote!	The U.S. Department of State created the U.S. Election Process web site for foreign journalists covering the U.S. elections.  Get the basics here! The Center for Voting and Democracy advocates for full representation and voting rights. The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation works to increase African American participation in civil society, including the election process. Register to vote in the U.S.  For any state in the union, head to this site to print out a registration application. Frequently Asked Questions About Voter Registration and Voting from the Federal Election Commission answers burning questions like "why is the general election held on a Tuesday?" and "does my vote count?"   And start young! Youth Vote Coalition is a national nonpartisan coalition of organizations dedicated to building political and civic participation among young people. New Voters Project is a nonpartisan site working to get 18-24 year olds from multiple states registered and voting. Declare Yourself is a nonpartisan site aimed at young voters.  Offering voter education guides, spoken word artists, history of the Declaration of Independence, the Declare Yourself tour that travels to college campuses, and more. Rock the Vote is another site for young and first-time voters.  Find information about voter registration and elections, as well as how to help register your friends and classmates to vote.  Read the blog and buy stuff, too.