CHAMPAIGN – With the primary election on the horizon, some student organizations are trying to get the word out to students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign about the importance of turning up to vote.
Turnout for primary elections is typically low. In 2022, the most recent midterm election cycle, roughly 20% of eligible voters turned out in the primary, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit think tank.
And this year, the primary election is on March 17 — in the middle of U of I’s spring break — some student groups are working to remind students of the importance of voting.
U of I junior Carter Wood, who chairs the Illini Democrats “Get Out the Vote” effort, said that while it’s unfortunate timing, they’re doing what they can to increase voter turnout among students.
“It is frustrating because normally Election Day is the most kind of glamorous time to go out and vote — you get your sticker, everyone’s talking about it and whatnot,” Wood said. “We want to make sure a lot of students know they could go home and vote as well.”
Josh George, a U of I freshman and vice president of the U of I’s Turning Point USA chapter,
said the group is strongly advising students to verify their registration status and explore options for early voting.
“Because spring break overlaps with the primary, planning ahead is critical,” he said in an emailed statement. “This might mean voting early before leaving campus or making arrangements to vote in person back home.”
Wood said he gets the sense that a lot of people don’t understand the implications of elections.
“Especially in a state like Illinois, a lot of people have this notion that our vote doesn’t matter, especially with us consistently being blue for the past couple election cycles,” Wood said. “But that means that primaries are the place to make the most impact.”
George said he encourages any young person who’s on the fence to get out and vote.
“If you care about the future of Illinois and the future of our country, you need to show up,” George said. “The primary is a critical moment where your voice carries an outsized impact.”
Illinois Student Newsroom spoke with U of I students on the Main Quad about the upcoming primary election.
Teresa Merlo, a U of I freshman, said that voting gives people the opportunity to voice their opinions — something she believes can be daunting as a Republican on campus.
“It’s important to speak the truth and to stand up for what you believe in… even if people hate on you for it, bully you for it, it’s still important to use your voice,” Merlo said.
Similarly, U of I freshman Esme Conour, a Democrat, said she feels voting is especially important for younger generations and college-aged students.
“If we want to be able to have any say in our future, we have to speak up now because the political process is very slow and even if we just shift it a little bit now, that will help us out in the future,” Conour said.
Aaron Weiss, another U of I freshman, said he doesn’t plan to vote because he feels like his vote doesn’t matter.
“You’re never gonna know if who you vote for is going to honor what they say on their platform,” Weiss said. “I don’t think there have been many candidates in Congress that have.”
Early voting is underway. Election Day is March 17, 2026.