It would be a failing grade in school, and it has remained attached to college students since the last gubernatorial election.

Only 20 percent of all 18- to 24-year-old citizens in Illinois voted in the 2002 gubernatorial election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, an organization trying to motivate college-age people to vote.

Rock the Vote will take place today on the Library Quad as a way to improve voting turnout of students in Illinois.

It will offer students a place to register to vote before Tuesday’s voter registration deadline.

“A lot of times college students just don’t vote because they don’t feel the need to,” said Amanda Raz, student executive vice president.

When college students do not vote, more funding will go toward other programs of people who do vote. Senior citizens turn out in a large number, so more funding will go toward healthcare, Raz said.

The youth voting rate has declined during the last 30 years, according to CIRCLE. Voter turnout from 1972 to 2004 for 18- to 24 year-olds has declined 17 percent in Illinois, while the nationally it has dropped 5 percent.

“They (politicians) figure they can do just about anything they want to people your age because you’re not going to do anything about it,” said political science professor Jeff Ashley. “The whole Rock the Vote is this idea; let’s get people that are your age mobilized, organized and energized and out and voting.”

If more college-aged voters turned out at the November election, it would shake things up in Springfield, Ashley said.

EIU College Democrats and EIU Republicans will both be out in the Library Quad.

“We will be campaigning, but we will not be running up to people,” said Chris Sodergren-Baar, vice president of EIU Democrats.

Raz would like to see 30 students register, but there isn’t a specific goal.

Rock the Vote will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Library Quad. There will be live entertainment from DJ Iceberg as well as free candy with “Risens” to vote on the wrappers.