Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day, and communities across Chicago and Cook County used the day to raise awareness and get any eligible voter registered.
"Your vote is your voice, and your voice is used at the ballot box, and voter registration is really just the first step to get that done," said Max Bever of the Chicago Board of Elections. "Now is a time for voters to make sure everything is set so they don't wait until the last second or feel panicked."
Bever said 1.51 million voters are registered in Chicago, but a new surge happened this summer.
"Since June 1 we've had over 37,000 new registrations," he told NBC Chicago. "The majority are younger voters, and the majority are women. Most of those new voters are under 35 and a lot of 18 and 19 year old's got registered to vote.
The suburbs are seeing a similar trend.
"We go from Barrington all the way to Lansing, so the socio-economic diversity of the suburbs is really amazing," said Edmund Michalowski, the deputy clerk of elections in Cook County. "We have 1.46 million voters, and in the last four weeks we registered 25,000 more voters."
Meanwhile on Chicago's Near South Side, faith leaders from across the city trained deputy registrars to help get people signed up to vote at church.
"Voting is a right, and we thank God for it," said Pastor Carl White Jr. of Victory Christian International Ministry. "It's a privilege, but we cannot do it if you’re not registered."
Aniya Young is a Gen Z deputy registrar through her church.
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"We need more young folks to recognize that our vote does count," Young said. "Right now we are reaching out to schools, juvenile detention centers."
To be eligible to register to vote, you must be 18 years old by election day, a U.S. citizen and live in your precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election. You also need two forms of ID, including proof of residence.
Cook County is searching for people to apply to be a paid election judge, as well. You can find more information here.
