Take Action: Restore Prisoners’ Voting Rights
ACTION REQUIRED
It’s time to champion voting rights in Illinois—the RACE Act (SB3482) will restore voting rights to individuals in prison and expand civics education within our correctional system. Tell Illinois Senate President Don Harmon to call it for a vote during the Lame Duck Session.
Please use the following template to email the office of President Harmon (grandazzo@senatedem.ilga.gov) and make calls to his Springfield office at (217) 782-8176.
Dear Office of President Harmon,
I am writing to urge you to prioritize the passage of the RACE Act (SB3482) by calling it for a vote in the Senate during the Lame Duck Session. This groundbreaking legislation is critical to creating a more inclusive democracy in Illinois by restoring voting rights to individuals in prison and expanding civics education within our correctional system. As a voting rights champion, we are urging you to call this bill.
The urgency of passing the RACE Act cannot be overstated. This issue resonates with over 80 organizations in the Unlock Civics Coalition, including the League of Women Voters, Illinois Environmental Council, and Equality Illinois, which stand united in their advocacy for this transformative change. Thousands of Illinoisans are calling for action.
Thank you for your time and for your commitment to justice and equity. I look forward to your support in making Illinois a leader in democratic reform.
Sincerely,
[Name and address]
BACKGROUND
When people in prison cannot vote, influence policy, or hold elected officials accountable, things like inhumane prison conditions, problematic judges, and “tough-on-crime” policies persist more easily.
Felony disenfranchisement is a relic of the Jim Crow era. Today in Illinois, 55% of people in prison are Black despite Black people making up only 15% of the state’s overall population. Disenfranchising people in prison silences community members, without making anyone safer.
The RACE Act restores voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois prisons, post-conviction. If passed, it would make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison, joining Maine, Vermont, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico as places in the U.S. that allow incarcerated citizens to vote.
Tell Illinois' elected leaders that it's time Illinois restore voting rights to community members in prison.