Are you 18 years old and looking forward to voting in the spring DeKalb primaries? Due to poor scheduling by the state of Illinois, you might not be able to this year.

Primary elections are scheduled while NIU students will be on Spring Break. Student Association President Abe Andrzejewski said, “Lawmakers don’t take students as a voting block seriously.” He also said someone in Springfield was not doing his job as far as scheduling the date for this election.

Andrzejewski said there has been a 25 percent tuition increase over the past 12 years. This is triple the rate of inflation. He said this is why elections are so important for students: they need representatives in Springfield who are willing to help solve this problem. Andrzejewski further commented that this primary will also affect other state schools who share the same Spring Break as NIU.

The offices up for election include most of the main state and county positions. This will include the race for governor, secretary of state, the attorney general, state treasurer, U.S. congressional seats, DeKalb County Board members and other state representatives.

Vice-Chair of the Young Democrats Anthony Jacob said the best thing students can do to help with this election problem is vote absentee. This can be done before leaving for Spring Break. Jacob said if there are any students who need the forms for voting absentee, but are unable to pick them up, they can call him and he will deliver the form. He also encouraged any students who do not fully understand what it means to vote absentee to call him at 752-2731.

“I am disappointed that this date for the election is going to exclude half the residents of DeKalb, as well as other students in other schools from voting,” Andrzejewski said. “We are not taken seriously by representatives. Perhaps the current situation is a manifestation of that lack of respect.”

Any students interested in finding out more about this election or simply talking to State Reps. David Wirsing and Brad Burzynski are encouraged to attend a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. this Thursday in the Capitol Room of the Holmes Student Center.