NIU students have until Tuesday, Feb. 20 to register to vote in the March 20 state primary election.

DeKalb County Clerk Terry Desmond said it was important for students to be aware of the registration cut-off date.

DeKalb County Chief Elections Clerk Sharon Holmes said people eligible to vote are reqired to live in their district 30 days before the election. She said now is the time for people who have moved since the last election to re-register in their new district.

County-authorized deputies act as voter registrars in the Student Association office and the Students’ Legal Assistance office in the Holmes Student Center, Holmes said. Deputy Registrars are also available at most city and county offices and banks in DeKalb, she said.

College Republican President Chris Hudders said, “People fight in the streets of Eastern Europe while we’ve got that (voter) privilege and we neglect it.”

Sixth Ward Alderman Jamie Pennington spoke for the College Democrats, saying students can see their taxes spent wisely by choosing their own leaders.

Desmond said the clerk’s office remains neutral on all election issues, but the most important issue to students remains education.

Desmond said state government policies toward student scholarships and grants have been dwindling over the past five years, while cut-backs in education spending have increased lately.

Many statewide offices are up for election this year, including governor, secretary of state and attorney general, Desmond said.

SA Voter Registration Chairman Brad Strauss said polling places will be well advertised before the primary and will most likely be located in residence hall lobbies and other public buildings.

Strauss also said funding for education would be a major issue for students in this election, but students might not register or vote because of apathy.

For more information on registration procedures, call the County Clerk’s Office at 895-7147 or visit the SA office weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.