This legislative session, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee and our partners are advocating for Senate Bill 828, Voting in Prison. If passed, SB 828 restores voting rights to the roughly 30,000 people who are incarcerated in Illinois prisons. Illinois could soon join Maine, Vermont, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico as places that allow people in prison to vote.   

The Illinois Constitution states that a person in prison “shall lose the right to vote, which right shall be restored not later than upon completion of his sentence.” The exact length of disenfranchisement is not specified. SB828 restores the right to vote for voters post-conviction. 

Join us, Representative Lashawn Ford, and Senator Mike Simmons at "Let's Talk About Senate Bill 828: Voting in Prison" on January 31st at 6pm CT on Zoom to talk about the bill's specifics, its pathway to becoming law, and more!