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Senate Bill 828 is sponsored by state Sen. Mike Simmons,
D-Chicago, and, if passed, would overturn current law that
states anyone serving a sentence in a federal or state prison,
county jail, or on work release is ineligible to vote.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said he supports the
measure.
"I am all for making sure that Illinois joins the other two
states that allow for people who are in prison to have the right
to vote as they do in Maine and Vermont," Ford said.
Around 27,300 incarcerated individuals in the state were
ineligible to vote in the 2022 midterm elections, with 55% of
those being Black.
State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, claims the legislation was
brought forward for the wrong reasons.
"A voter block such as this raises some questions about the
unintended consequences of this piece of legislation," Niemerg
said. "Perhaps, they are the intended consequences of this being
a Democratic voter drive, so to speak."
Many prisoner reform groups have come out to support the
measure, including Stand Up America, which released a statement
urging lawmakers to pass the legislation this week.
"Illinois has the chance to make history this week. Voting is
critical to our democracy and should be a right for all citizens
– no matter where they lay their heads at night. That's why SB
828 should be at the top of the agenda in the last few days of
the veto session," the statement reads. "It's past time Illinois
lawmakers do right by all of their constituents and allow
currently incarcerated citizens to vote."
If passed, Illinois would join Maine, Vermont, Washington D.C.,
and Puerto Rico as places that allow incarcerated citizens to
vote.
Illinois lawmakers wrap up veto session Thursday.
Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a
reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a
producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan
University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south
suburbs of Chicago.
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