It’s Time for Illinois to Re-enfranchise Voters in Prison

Throughout most of the United States, including here in Illinois, many take it as a given that citizens who are convicted of a crime and incarcerated in prison also lose their right to vote. But these laws, which are rooted in medieval practice and were underscored during the Jim Crow period, make little sense today.

Felony disenfranchisement laws have been utterly ineffective in deterring crime or promoting public safety. In fact, in a state where Black individuals make up 14% of the population but comprise 54% of those disenfranchised in prisons, the primary effect of these laws is the undeniable suppression of Black voters.

We are proud to support efforts to re-enfranchise incarcerated voters in Illinois, including through HB 1872, a bill sponsored by Representative La Shawn Ford and endorsed by Chicago Votes and over 60 community organizations who form the Unlock Civics coalition.

Last Wednesday, Senior Counsel Ami Gandhi gave testimony before the Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee as they held a subject matter hearing on the bill. You can read the full Chicago Lawyers’ Committee testimony or watch it here.