Cook County Clerk Orr urging voter registration Tuesday

Cook County Clerk David Orr's office, along with many civic organizations, community groups and schools, will be among more than 1,000 organizations throughout the country taking part in National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday.

As the Nov. 4 election draws closer and the Oct. 7 voter registration deadline approaches, the day brings attention to the opportunities people have to register to vote, as well as the importance of making sure they are registered.

"At a time when it's become tougher to register and vote in some parts of the country, Illinois has actually expanded voter registration and early voting," Orr said. "The opportunities to register and vote abound."

For the first time in Illinois, voters can register online.

"So if you miss one of these many voter registration drives, registering to vote is, as we say now, 'just a click away,'" he said.

Suburban Cook County residents can check their registration status online. If they are not registered to vote or need to update their registration, they can visit cookcountyclerk.com/registertovote.

Voter registration drives and awareness events taking place Tuesday include The League of Women Voters holding registration drives at Sears Holding Corp. headquarters in Hoffman Estates, and at the Evanston, Palatine, and Homewood public libraries. The Palatine league also will be at day care centers in the area, so that parents dropping off and picking up their children can register.

Orr stressed that it is particularly important to get the word about voter registration out to younger voters. According to the Brennan Center, one-quarter of young people in the U.S. didn't register to vote in 2010 because they didn't know the rules or missed the deadline.

"Change can only happen when you vote," Orr said, "and you can only vote if you are registered."