Faculty at Lake Forest College in collaboration with the League of Women Voters are sponsoring a voter awareness and registration drive on campus.
Certified deputy registrars will be available to answer your questions and help you register to vote, in person, should you choose to vote in Illinois. They can also offer guidance for those who prefer to begin the registration process online for voting both in Illinois and in other states.
Register to vote on campus
A deputy registrar will be outside the dining hall in the Mohr Student Center on the following Tuesdays and Fridays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Tuesday, September 10
Friday, September 13
Tuesday, September 17
Friday, September 20
Tuesday, September 24
Friday, September 27
Tuesday, October 1
Friday, October 4
Important dates
October 8, 2024: Deadline for in-person registration and postmarked mail-in registration applications in Illinois.
October 20, 2024: Deadline for online registration in Illinois.
November 5, 2024: ELECTION DAY. In-person, Election Day registration is possible. Bring two forms of ID, preferably your Lake Forest College photo ID, a driver’s license, U.S. Passport, including one item containing your current address, such as a bill, to your local polling site. (If you live on campus, your current address must include your name and the address “555 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045.”)
Common questions
Am I eligible to register?
U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old (by Election Day, November 5, 2024) can register to vote.
Am I required to declare a political party affiliation when I register?
No, Illinois voters are not asked about and do not declare a political party affiliation for voter registration purposes.
If I am from Illinois, can I register using my home address in Illinois even though I live on campus?
Yes, but you will have to either vote at your voting location at home or request a mail-in ballot.
If I am from Illinois, can I register using my campus address instead of my home address?
Yes, but you will have to vote in the City of Lake Forest. Also, if you are currently registered at your home address in Illinois, that registration will be canceled, which means you cannot vote at home.
If I am not from Illinois and live on campus, can I register and vote in Illinois?
Yes, you can declare Lake Forest College as your residence, but you must vote in the City of Lake Forest. If you are already registered to vote in another state, that registration will be canceled. This means that you will not be able to vote for your home state's US Senators or Representatives, State Senators or Representatives, and any state or local races and ballot proposals.
If I am not from Illinois and live on campus, can I register and vote in Illinois?
Yes, you can declare Illinois your residence, but once registered in Illinois you must vote at your local voting location in Illinois. So, for example, if you are from other state and now live in an apartment in Highwood, you vote at the Highwood Recreation Center. If you are already registered in another state, however, your other registration will be canceled. This means that you will not be able to vote in the elections back home for US Senators or Representatives, State Senators or Representatives, and any state or local races and ballot proposals.
If I am not from Illinois and want to register and vote in my home state, what do I do?
A voter registrar cannot register you if you want to vote out of state, but we can help you navigate a national, online portal for voter registration in your home state. Go to www.vote.org. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a drop-down menu for voter information by state.
When and where can I vote if I declare Lake Forest College as my residence?
You have two in person voting options if you are an on-campus voter.
Election Day voting takes place at the Gordon Center, 400 E. Illinois Road (.6 miles and a 10-minute walk from Middle Campus), from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. You can also vote before Election Day.
Early Voting takes place at Lake Forest City Hall, 220 E. Deerpath Road (.9 miles and a 20-minute walk from Middle Campus) on the following days and times: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., from October 21 to November 2.
Where are early voting centers outside Lake Forest?
Lake County, Illinois: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4322/Early-Voting
Cook County, Illinois: https://chicagoelections.gov/voting/early-voting
Who and what is on the ballot?
All citizens of the U.S. are voting for President and Vice-President. There are no state-wide offices up for election in 2024 in Illinois. However, Illinoisans are voting for their members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the state legislature, the state Supreme Court, and lesser courts. There are also three ballot measures. For more information, go to https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_elections,_2024.
For general information about voting, including your registration status and voting by mail options, go to www.vote.org. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a drop-down menu for voter information by state.
For more information about voting – and to begin the voter registration process online, go to www.vote.org/register-to-vote.
Feel free to contact a local deputy voter registrar at Lake Forest College:
Lynette Foss (foss@lakeforest.edu)
Carol Gayle (gayle@lakeforest.edu)
James Marquardt (marquardt@lakeforest.edu)