“Riesens” to vote were given to students who registered to vote at Monday’s Rock the Vote.

The “Riesens” contained facts on the declining revenue at Eastern to the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson that failed to remove him from office by one vote in the U.S. Senate.

The event made a final push to register students to vote before today’s deadline. Students were lured in by the music provided by DJ Iceberg.

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, 85 students had registered to vote.

Amanda Raz, student executive vice president, said she hoped the day’s final count would reach 100 students.

Voting turnout for college-age students has been down for some time in Illinois. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, which researches voting behaviors in young people, only 20 percent of 18- to 24- year-old voters voted in the 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election. Overall voting has fallen in this age group in Illinois by 17 percent.

With the voter turnout so low in this demographic, Rock the Vote worked to change that.

“Politicians would realize, they have a new demographic to look after,” said Travis Bounds, president of EIU College Democrats.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Charleston had a population of 20,189 in 2005. Eastern had an enrollment of 12,129 that year.

“If all the Eastern students voted, we could control who’s on the Charleston City Council,” said Student Senate member Jeff Lange. “We outnumber the citizens who are here all the time.”

All state offices are up for re-election this year on Nov. 7.