Frequently Asked Questions

Where you vote depends on where you live and where you are registered to vote. If you are a student living in the residence halls and are registered to vote in DeKalb County, you'll vote at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center. For last minute changes in polling place, check the DeKalb County Clerk's website.

If you are currently living off-campus in an apartment and are registered to vote in DeKalb County, you may vote at a different location. You can look up your polling place by inputting your ZIP code (DeKalb's ZIP code is 60115) and street address.

As a college student, you can choose whether you want to vote in DeKalb County or in your hometown, but you need to update your voter registration accordingly.

To decide where you should vote, consider where you are going to be during elections and whether you can easily find time to vote there. Additionally, consider where you feel more connected and informed.

Attending NIU involves becoming part of the DeKalb community. Voting in our local elections is essential for NIU students to express their beliefs and values as community members living in DeKalb. These elected officials shape policies that influence our local economy, transportation, housing, healthcare, education, and numerous other aspects of daily life. Local elections allow the community to exercise their right to influence the direction of local governance, ensuring that all concerns and perspectives are taken into account.

Check your registration status.

Yes, you must update your registration with your new address. Even if you just moved down the hall in the same residence hall. If you are living on campus in a residence hall, list your mailing address and your room number.

Yes, in Illinois. You can register to vote on election day in person at your designated polling place. After registering, you will be provided with a green provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is a ballot reviewed within seven days of the election by the local electoral board. Your vote will then be counted if all forms have been completed correctly.

Individuals may vote early, within their local districts. The period for early voting begins the 40th day preceding an election and extends through the end of the day before Election Day.

NIU’s Holmes Student Center is a temporary early voting location and typically has a window of two weeks when individuals registered in DeKalb County can vote on campus.

Check other early voting locations in Illinois.

If you're not voting for the first time in Illinois, you don't need to provide ID to vote in person.

If you registered to vote by mail, are voting for the first time, and didn't provide your driver's license number, state ID number, last four digits of your Social Security number, a copy of a current and valid photo ID, a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government documentation that shows your name and address, or a student ID and mail postmarked to you at your residence, you'll need to provide one of these when you vote in person during early voting or on Election Day.

A provisional ballot is the type of ballot that is cast if an individual fails to register to vote within the time frame allotted. In Illinois, the last day to register to vote is October 20.  After that date, individuals can still register, but their vote is counted as "provisional" - which means it may be delayed but is still counted.

An absentee ballot allows you to vote by mail and is available to you if you are unable to vote in person on Election Day. If you plan to vote by absentee ballot, you will need to make sure that you apply to receive your absentee ballot by your state's deadline.

Your state may require you to have a valid excuse to vote absentee. Acceptable excuses vary by state. Most include:

• Being unable to get to your polling place due to illness, injury, or disability.
• Being on business travel or vacation outside of your county or city of residence on Election Day.
• Being a student at an out-of-state college or university.

This National Conference of State Legislatures table shows which states require an excuse.

You can request an absentee ballot by visiting vote.org. In order to obtain an absentee ballot, you will need to know in which state and at which address you are currently registered to vote. Follow your state's instructions for requesting an absentee ballot.

No, you must be a U.S. citizen in order to vote.

Out-of-state students can request an absentee ballot from their home state.

Yes, it is your constitutional right to vote if you are in line at your designated polling location before 7 p.m. If the time crosses 7 p.m. and you have not voted, remain in line until you are able to cast your ballot.