Election season is causing anxiety for some college students who are casting their ballots for the first time.
Many students are voting early and taking advantage of the service being offered on campuses across Champaign County. One of several polling locations include Parkland College.
Robin Fitzgerald, 19 was one of the first in line before the doors opened on October 21.
“I wasn’t sure if it’s like, multiple days or if it’s just the one election day,” he said.
Fitzgerald saw being able to vote on-campus as a huge convenience.
“I have a lot going on with my classes and with extracurriculars and everything,” he explained. “I also don’t drive, so I would have to commute here, and I would have to do all this stuff. And it’s something that would just slip my mind. Honestly.”
Fitzgerald also believes large crowds will form on Election Day and that may be a problem for more than just wait times.
“There might be a little bit of safety concern, because some people just get very up in arms about who they’re voting for and like trying to influence other people. I think,” he added.
Students also started voting early at the University of Illinois’ Illini Union including Siena Navarro, 20. She wanted to beat traffic.
“I saw the lines in the midterm election two years ago on campus, and they were fairly long,” she said. “So, I knew I didn’t want to deal with that this year, so I just came to vote early.”
With the stakes so high in the presidential race, the 20-year-old also worries what will happen after November 5.
Navarro said she has “a bit of anxiety just in terms of the results, and then depending on who wins” as well as the aftermath.
“I know a lot of people will be unhappy, because it is such a divisive election,” she added.
Both Navarro and Fitzgerald said they voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president over former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, because of Harris’ views on LGBTQ + rights and reproductive rights.
Early voting is available at other locations around Champaign County. Details can be found here.