Voters use extra day to register
Updated: October 8, 2012
URBANA -- You need to prepare to make your voice heard in November. Tuesday is the last day to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election. As we near the deadline, people are still signing up to vote. WCIA-3's Anna Carrera has today's report from your Local Election Headquarters.
You'd think people might like to sleep in on a holiday, but some were signing up to vote as early as 8:30 am in Champaign County.
Registering to vote has been on Eric Duffy's "to-do list" for awhile. He's in a different state than the last time he voted, but says it's a priority no matter where he is.
"Here in Illinois, either way I vote, it's probably not going to matter so much, but I think it's still important to vote," said Duffy.
Most state and county offices were closed for Columbus Day, but the Champaign County Clerk's door was open. Voters took advantage of the extra day before the deadline.
"I'm an extraordinary procrastinator," said Duffy.
"I think it's important to vote in every election, and especially with the presidential election, and I want to do some voting about congress," said Charlotte Martell.
Martell started voting when she was 18. She and her husband just moved back to Illinois. So, here they are, back at the clerk's office to change their address.
"I think if we don't vote, we have no right to complain about what's going on or what we don't like," said Martell.
Plenty of first-time voters signed up too, like 19-year old Kyle Kaplan. Now that he's old enough to vote, he's happy to do his part.
"It's going to decide what happens with everything that goes on around here for the next few years, so it's an important thing to do," said Kaplan.
Some stopped in to vote early, but others say they're happy to wait.
"I'll probably go ahead and just vote on Election Day," said Duffy. "Again, waiting until the last moment."
All those people were added to a growing list. More than 135,000 people are registered to vote in the county. That's a new record. Tuesday is the last day to register to vote in the presidential election.
You'd think people might like to sleep in on a holiday, but some were signing up to vote as early as 8:30 am in Champaign County.
Registering to vote has been on Eric Duffy's "to-do list" for awhile. He's in a different state than the last time he voted, but says it's a priority no matter where he is.
"Here in Illinois, either way I vote, it's probably not going to matter so much, but I think it's still important to vote," said Duffy.
Most state and county offices were closed for Columbus Day, but the Champaign County Clerk's door was open. Voters took advantage of the extra day before the deadline.
"I'm an extraordinary procrastinator," said Duffy.
"I think it's important to vote in every election, and especially with the presidential election, and I want to do some voting about congress," said Charlotte Martell.
Martell started voting when she was 18. She and her husband just moved back to Illinois. So, here they are, back at the clerk's office to change their address.
"I think if we don't vote, we have no right to complain about what's going on or what we don't like," said Martell.
Plenty of first-time voters signed up too, like 19-year old Kyle Kaplan. Now that he's old enough to vote, he's happy to do his part.
"It's going to decide what happens with everything that goes on around here for the next few years, so it's an important thing to do," said Kaplan.
Some stopped in to vote early, but others say they're happy to wait.
"I'll probably go ahead and just vote on Election Day," said Duffy. "Again, waiting until the last moment."
All those people were added to a growing list. More than 135,000 people are registered to vote in the county. That's a new record. Tuesday is the last day to register to vote in the presidential election.
