VOTING IS A CORNERSTONE
of civic engagement.
College students have a legal right to register and vote at their permanent address or their campus address, which can make the process a complicated one to navigate. NU Votes supports two different mechanisms for you to make sure you are registered correctly:
Register In-Person
(recommended)
Use Online Tools
In-Person Registration
NU Votes offers two in-person ways for Northwestern community members to register to vote, update their registration status, or request an absentee ballot. Staff will be on hand to help with any questions about the process, and NU Votes can do any printing, copying, and mailing that might be necessary.
Year-Round at CCE
Students, faculty, and staff can always drop in and register at the Center for Civic Engagement (1813 Hinman Ave. – next to Admissions) on the Evanston Campus 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, throughout the school year.
Major Registration Events on Campus
In addition to the year-round registration assistance offered at the Center for Civic Engagement, NU Votes works with a variety of campus partners to support several major registration events on campus each fall.
Norris Voter Registration Station
Monday, Oct. 10 | 10am – 6pm
at Norris University Center – Mezzanine Level Entryway
in collaboration with the Norris Student Center and the Office of Campus Life
Chicago Campus Registration
Monday, Oct. 10 | 9am - 5pm
at Arthur Rubloff Building (375 E. Chicago) - Atrium
in collaboration with the Pritzker School of Law’s Day of Civic Service Committee
Wildcat Welcome – WildCARD Distribution
Monday, Sept. 12 | 8am – 5pm
at Welcome Centers – 1835 Hinman, Allison, Elder, & Sargent Hall
in collaboration with the WildCARD Office and the Office of New Student & Family Programs
For information about other on-campus registration drives, follow NU Votes on Facebook or Twitter.
What do I need to bring?
All you need is one of these three forms of identification: driver's license, state-issued photo ID, or passport. It’s also sometimes helpful to know your social security number (or at least the last four digits).
Online tools
In some cases, students can complete most or all of the registration process online, depending on the state in which you are registering. However, each state’s registration process is different and many require additional elements (printed and signed forms, copies of ID’s, notarizing, etc.). Likewise, almost every state requires printed forms for absentee requests. Because of this, we encourage you to take advantage of in-person voter registration where you can be sure to complete the process fully & accurately and get any questions answered.
If you prefer to proceed on your own, the links below will get you started. If the submission of paper forms or any other steps are required, NU Votes can assist you with elements like printing, stamps, and mailing. Please visit CCE or an in-person voter registration event for assistance.
Questions? Call us at 847-467-3047, email nuvotes@northwestern.edu, or come visit us to register in-person.