Get on it!
The presidential election is next month already. With 46 million youth eligible to vote this election, we want young adults to be as informed as possible about getting registered, tuning into the debates and finding your polling place.
Many of you may be new to voting as there are 16.8 million young people who turned 18 since the 2008 election and can now vote. We don't want you to miss important dates or events or links to young voter stories and organizations.
So check out the 2012 Election Guide.
VOTER REGISTRATION
That means if you have moved, changed your name or turned 18 since 2008 when President Obama was elected, you need to update your voter registration information or simply register to vote.
Not sure if you're registered? Click here.
Oct. 10-Nov.3: Grace period where residents need to bring two forms of ID (including one that shows a current address), register in-person and immediately vote in the same visit to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners on the 6th floor of 69 W. Washington St.
VOTING
Oct. 22 - Nov. 3: Early voting when registered voters can bring a government-issued ID and cast ballots at any of the 51 locations open Monday through Saturday. Three locations will be open on Sundays. Click here for a list of sites and hours.
Nov. 1: Deadline to apply for absentee voting. Completed applications must be submitted to the Chicago Election Board at 69 W. Washington St., Suite 600.
Nov. 5: The voted absentee ballot must be postmarked by this date and received by the board by Nov. 20 for it to be counted.
Nov. 6: Election Day. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Find your polling place, click here.DEBATES
Oct. 16 - Second presidential debate (town hall) at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., moderated by Candy Crowley, CNN's chief political correspondent and anchor of CNN's "State of the Union"
Watch party: Chicago Votes, 6:30 p.m., Cole's Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave. RSVP here.
Oct. 22 - Third presidential debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., moderated by Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News and moderator of "Face the Nation"
CANDIDATES
Barack Obama's Young Americans site. Follow the campaign on Facebook or Twitter.
Mitt Romney's Young Americans for Romney site. Follow the campaign on Facebook or Twitter.
YOUNG VOTER (nonpartisan) ORGANIZATIONS
Rock the Vote will be out at Columbia College on Oct. 12 as part of its Road Trip 2012 bus tour to engage young voters.
Our Time has been posting Funny or Die videos featuring celebrities to encourage young adults to register to vote.
Chicago Votes focuses on engaging young Chicagoans in the election process and hosts a Trick or Vote event on Oct. 31 to encourage young voters.
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement does research on young voters habits and engagement.
PARTY ORGANIZATIONS
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