A critical part of any healthy democracy is citizens exercising their right to vote. It is a precious right that the majority of the world's population does not have in any meaningful way.
I strongly encourage all of you to register to vote by Monday, Oct. 5, which is the closing date if you are voting in Indiana, or before the closing dates in your home states. I also encourage you to vote in the 2020 election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, here or in your home state.
IU's Political and Civic Engagement program features essential information on its website about how to confirm voting status, register to vote, request and return an absentee ballot, and vote in person.
IU Bloomington students can also help IU win the nationwide Big Ten Voting Challenge. This friendly, spirited, nonpartisan competition, launched in 2017, seeks to increase voter registration and turnout among students. Two awards will be given to the university with the highest eligible voter turnout and the one with the most improved turnout compared to 2016.
This is your time to exercise one of our most fundamental and important rights as U.S. citizens, to contribute to positive change, and to seek solutions to the major challenges facing our towns, cities and country.