Are You Registered to Vote?
 
Are You Registered to Vote?
Written By David E. Smith   |   Written By David E. Smith   |   08.19.24
Reading Time: 3 minutes

October 20th is the last day to register to vote online
for the upcoming November 5th General Election.

God has blessed America with the gift of self-government — a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Voting is a privilege that millions of people in other parts of the world are denied.

But this unique blessing also comes with a tremendous responsibility. In Romans 13, we are told that all authorities are appointed by God. If you look at the first three words in our U.S. Constitution, you’ll find out who that authority is in America — “We the People…”

As Christians, we have a duty and a moral obligation to be involved in the democratic process. Imagine the IMPACT we could have on our government, its leadership, and our nation if we all simply registered to vote and voted our values! According to a 2020 article,

“An estimated 25 million Christians do not vote in presidential elections, 65 million do not participate in local elections and 15 million are not registered voters.”

This is not good stewardship of God’s gift of self-government! In our apathy, we are shirking our responsibility to be salt and light. And the consequences are shocking: babies killed in their mother’s womb for convenience, laws passed that call evil good and good evil, Marxist and LGBTQ indoctrination of our children, religious liberties eroding, sexual deviancy abounding, illicit drugs legalized for recreational use, gambling expanded. And the list goes on.

“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.” 
~Daniel Webster, an American lawyer and statesman

Is it any surprise that Bible believing Christians are sparsely represented in Springfield and Washington, D.C.? If we aren’t faithful in the little things that God has given us to do – like voting or communicating with our elected representatives – we shouldn’t be surprised that we aren’t successful when it comes to the bigger things.

Registering Voters is Easy!
Did you know that you can register to vote online in Illinois by visiting the State Board of Elections website?

How many people do you know who have moved, gotten married and changed their name, or are turning 18? And for those who have not voted in recent elections, consider engaging them to become actively involved in impacting our nation’s future!

Mail-In Form – 2 Simple Steps:

1. Click HERE to print an Illinois Voter Registration Application if you’re holding a voter registration drive.

2. Mail your completed application(s) to your local election authority. Click HERE to look up the mailing address. If you are unsure of your election authority, please contact us. Call (708) 781-9328 during normal business hours, or email us anytime and we will be glad to help!

Below is information for holding a voter registration drive. Consider holding one at your church, school, library, county fair, a Christian concert, or other location. You can print the forms below.

Voter Registration Information:

Below are several bulletin inserts for your use.

Voter Registration Bulletin Inserts

Voter Registration FAQ’s

Q. I’ve moved. Do I need to register again?
A. Yes. The easiest way to register again is to just follow the 2-step process above.

Q. My name has changed. Do I need to register again?
A. Yes. The easiest way to register again is to just follow the 2-step process above.

Q. I’ll be 18 by November 5, 2024. Can I register?
A. Yes. You may register now to vote as long as you will be 18 by November 5th. Just follow the 2-step process above.

Q. I sent in my form two weeks ago, but I haven’t heard anything back yet. Did it get lost?
A. You should receive confirmation 4-6 weeks after your original submission. If you do not hear from your County Clerk by then, give them a call.  Click HERE for a list of County Clerk offices.

Q. I am a pastor or a church leader. Can I encourage the members at my church to register to vote and hold a voter registration drive?
A. Yes. Voter registration drives are not considered political activity. Although certain limitations are imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code and campaign laws, churches and pastors are able to engage in nonpartisan activity, particularly voter registration and voter education. There is no legal restriction whatsoever on the ability of churches to register voters or provide them candidate survey information, like the material provided in the IFI Voter Guide.


 

David  E. Smith
Dave Smith is the executive director of Illinois Family Institute (501c3) and Illinois Family Action (501c4). David has 30 years of experience in public policy and grass-roots activism that includes countless interviews for numerous radio, television, cable programs and newspaper articles on topics such as the sanctity of life, natural marriage, broadcast decency, sex education, marijuana, gambling, abortion, homosexuality, tax policy, drug decriminalization and pornography. He and his wife of 29 years are blessed to be the parents of eight children. They strongly believe that their first duty before God is to disciple their children in the Christian faith, and...
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