Chicago Votes

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Chicago Votes

We're engaging, educating, and training a new generation of active young leaders to bring sweet, sweet democracy to the masses. We're also pro-fun. Very pro-fun.

Chicago Votes Action Fund is a non-partisan, non-profit organization working at the intersection of activism, education, and politics in order to make democracy more inclusive, just, and accessible Not left or right, we're looking forward. We simply believe that democracy works better when more people participate. We're a non-partisan, pro-democracy. We have three main initiatives: Unlock Civics,

Parade to the Polls, and Give A Sh*t Chicago. Unlock Civics works at the intersection of organizing and advocacy to ensure that people impacted by the American legal system have access to their civic rights and responsibilities. This initiative includes our Cook County Jail Votes program, Civics in Prison, Court Watching, and Unlock Civics legislative platform. Parade to the Polls is one of Chicago Votes’ first initiatives. Through this program, we partner with high schools and colleges to march to the polls. It’s a celebration of voting that provides young voters with the information and confidence to vote and further develop their civic engagement. Our Give A Sh*t program challenges the status quo of what it means to engage with politics. We engage creatives and foster spaces where young people can come and have authentic conversations about issues important to us. This initiative includes our Give A Sh*t Creative Collective, Sh*t Talk conversations on IG live, and our Happy Hours.

05/24/2026

“That means everyone, Welch said pointing out the various ethnic groups and including people of all ages. Making it clear, Welch said, “An attack on anybody’s voting rights is an attack on everybody’s voting rights.”
Welch said there have been 70
Speakers of the House of Representatives since the State of Illinois was established in 1818, 69 were white. Welch is the first African American to hold that position.
“The fight is not over,” he said urging all people to register and vote and make a difference in the upcoming election. “It is our turn.”

05/23/2026

There was a real debate during our Springfield hearing on the RACE Act last week: should people with felony convictions be able to vote while serving their time?

Hear our Co-Executive Director Stevie Valles take on that question directly with a lawmaker.

We believe democracy doesn’t stop at prison walls. Three reasons this matters:

Citizenship doesn’t disappear because of incarceration. If government still controls every aspect of your life, your voice in that democracy matters.

The criminal legal system shapes real policy. People inside are directly impacted by decisions about prisons, healthcare, safety, sentencing, and rehabilitation yet are often denied representation in those decisions.

Disenfranchisement has deep roots in exclusion. Voting bans tied to criminal convictions have disproportionately silenced Black and Brown communities and communities already over-targeted by the justice system.

The point of the RACE Act hearing was simple: expanding democracy means removing barriers to civic participation not creating new ones. Democracy works best when more voices are heard.

05/22/2026

🚨 RACE ACT POWER HOUR

The fight for a more inclusive democracy continues, and we need you in the room.

Join us for a community action workshop where we’ll take direct advocacy actions to support the passage of the RACE Act. Together, we’ll build power, protect democracy, and push for voting rights restoration in Illinois.

____________________________________

The Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act [Senate Bill 2983, House Bill 5414] is a crucial piece of legislation that would:
* Restore voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois while they are serving their sentence, adding an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 Illinois citizens back on the rolls as voters and give them space to hold elected leaders accountable.

* Expand civic education course offerings led by incarcerated peer educators for incarcerated people so that they may access these lessons the entire time of their incarceration.
* Make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison.

COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION! Follow and through the Linktree in our bio, take the following actions TODAY:
* Write a letter to your lawmaker urging them to support the RACE Act
* Sign our RACE Act petition
* Call , , and Senate President urging them to pass the RACE Act
* Join the Unlock Civics Coalition by reaching out to [email protected]
* Sign up to register voters inside the Cook County Jail
* Call your lawmaker urging their support of the RACE Act
* Read, share, and distribute the RACE Act fact sheet

05/21/2026

Be a part of the movement. Register voters with Chicago Votes this weekend!

We are excited to be a part of this year’s this Saturday, May 23rd, and Sunday, May 24th! ⭐️🎶 We will be registering voters, gaining support for the RACE Act, and building our brand through cultural organizing. If you’re interested in supporting our efforts, sign up today to volunteer through the link in our bio.

Slots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis!

05/21/2026

Big thanks to Mayor Brandon Johnson for helping get the Jesse Jackson Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance across the finish line and for standing with Chicagoans in protecting safer, more equitable access to democracy. Huge gratitude to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson for teaching us all to organize for democracy, his family for the support and collaboration, our incredible policy team, partners, and the young organizers who pushed this forward - this is what collective civic power looks like.

05/20/2026

HISTORY MADE IN CHICAGO.

The Jesse Jackson Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance has officially PASSED in a 42–8 City Council vote.

This landmark victory strengthens democratic access across Chicago by:
• Protecting election workers from doxxing, harassment, and intimidation
• Expanding vote-by-mail access through secure residential mailboxes
• Creating a permanent Democracy Access Working Group
• Addressing barriers to safe, fair, and accessible civic participation

This win was made possible by organizers, advocates, coalition partners, and community members across Chicago who showed up and fought for a stronger democracy.

Thank you to the 30+ organizations who helped push this across the finish line.
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But the work does not stop here. As we celebrate this victory, we must continue fighting for the passage of the RACE Act.
The Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act [Senate Bill 2983, House Bill 5414] is a crucial piece of legislation that would:
* Restore voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois while they are serving their sentence, adding an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 Illinois citizens back on the rolls as voters and give them space to hold elected leaders accountable.

* Expand civic education course offerings led by incarcerated peer educators for incarcerated people so that they may access these lessons the entire time of their incarceration.
* Make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison.

🚨COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION! Follow and through the Linktree in our bio, take the following actions TODAY:
* Write a letter to your lawmaker urging them to support the RACE Act
* Sign our RACE Act petition
* Call , , and Senate President urging them to pass the RACE Act
* Join the Unlock Civics Coalition by reaching out to [email protected]
* Sign up to register voters inside the Cook County Jail
* Call your lawmaker urging their support of the RACE Act
* Read, share, and distribute the RACE Act fact sheet

05/20/2026

🚨 URGENT: The Jesse Jackson Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance will receive a full City Council vote tomorrow, and we need your support to reach the finish line.

📍 Wednesday, May 20th
📍 City Council Chambers — 121 N. LaSalle Street, 2nd Floor
⏰ 10 A.M.

🚨 COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION!

Support the passage of this important legislation by taking the following actions:

• Show up tomorrow at City Council Chambers and show your support for the ordinance
• Read and share the full briefing deck through the link in our bio
• Call your alderman and urge them to support the ordinance
• Share this post with your network of organizers, activists, and community members

Together, we can push this across the finish line.

Justice

05/19/2026

Voting rights are under attack, but we don’t have to stay silent!

The latest SCOTUS decision could weaken protections that help ensure fair representation and equal access to voting, especially for Black and marginalized communities. Here in Illinois, we still have the power to push for change locally through the RACE Act.
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URGENT: Support the RACE Act (HB5414)
The Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act would expand civics education in Illinois prisons and restore voting rights to people who are currently incarcerated, ensuring everyone can stay connected to their communities and our democracy.
HB5414 will be heard in the House Ethics & Elections
Committee on Tuesday, May at 2pm cst, and we need your help to show strong public support.
One of the easiest ways to do that is by filing a witness slip, a simple form that lets lawmakers know you support a bill. It takes about 1 minute, no testimony required, and it shows broad public support of the bill.
Use the link in our bio to file your witness slip before this
Tuesday, May 19th, at 2pm cst.
Thank you in advance for supporting us in showing lawmakers that Illinois believes in a democracy that includes everyone!

05/18/2026

🚨 URGENT: FILE A WITNESS SLIP FOR THE RACE ACT

Chicago Votes just learned that HB5414, the RACE Act, has been called in committee for tomorrow, and we need everyone’s help showing strong support. We’re asking all coalition members, community members, creatives, and partners to please take a minute to file a witness slip as a proponent of the bill before the hearing tomorrow, May 19th, at 2 p.m. This is a quick but important way to demonstrate broad support for restoring voting rights, expanding civic education, and strengthening democracy in Illinois.

File your witness slip using the link in our bio! Instructions on how to complete a witness slip:

Section 1: Fill out your information If filing as an individual, put “self” for organization/title.

Section 2: Enter your organization name or “self” or Unlock Civics Coalition

Section 3:
- Select HB5414 in the add subject matter drop-down menu
- Select “Proponent”
- Click the blue “Add Position” button

Section 4:
- Select “Record of Appearance Only”
- Then check the agreement box and hit submit.

Filing a witness slip only takes a minute, but it helps show lawmakers that there is strong statewide support for the RACE Act. Please also share this with your teams, members, and networks if you can.

Thank y’all for continuing to show up for this work and the passage of this crucial piece of legislation.

05/15/2026

Democracy should include everyone.

Advocates, organizers, and community leaders are calling on Illinois lawmakers to pass the RACE Act, legislation that would restore voting rights to incarcerated people and expand civic education access across Illinois prisons.

“A democracy cannot function while excluding the very people most impacted by its decisions.” — Marlon Chamberlain

The Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act [Senate Bill 2983, House Bill 5414] is a crucial piece of legislation that would:

• Restore voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois while they are serving their sentence, adding an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 Illinois citizens back on the voter rolls and giving them space to hold elected leaders accountable.

• Expand civic education course offerings led by incarcerated peer educators so incarcerated people can access these lessons throughout their incarceration.

• Make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison.

🚨 COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION!
Follow and through the Linktree in our bio, take the following actions TODAY:

• Write a letter to your lawmaker urging them to support the RACE Act
• Sign our RACE Act petition
• Call , , and Senate President urging them to pass the RACE Act
• Join the Unlock Civics Coalition by reaching out to [email protected]
• Sign up to register voters inside the Cook County Jail
• Call your lawmaker urging their support of the RACE Act
• Read, share, and distribute the RACE Act fact sheet

Reporting by on

05/14/2026

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, a signature accomplishment of the Civil Rights Movement, was recently eviscerated by the Supreme Court, leaving the nation unsure about the future of voting rights in America. To counter this federal government attack, we’re fighting for systemic change locally through the Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act [Senate Bill 2983, House Bill 5414]. This crucial piece of legislation would:

* Restore voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois while they are serving their sentence, adding an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 Illinois citizens back on the rolls as voters and give them space to hold elected leaders accountable.
* Expand civic education course offerings led by incarcerated peer educators for incarcerated people so that they may access these lessons the entire time of their incarceration.
* Make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison.

Last month, and the Unlock Civics Coalition hosted a press conference at the Springfield State Capitol Blue Room, aimed at condemning Illinois prison conditions and demanding restoration of voting rights to all incarcerated citizens in Illinois. Hear the remarks from our highlighted speakers an why they support this bill:

1. Frederique Desrosiers - Chicago Votes Policy Director
2. State Senator and RACE Act co-sponsor
3. Conner Kozisek -
4. Nicole Porter -
5. Stevie Valles - Chicago Votes CEO

🚨COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION! Follow and through the Linktree in our bio, take the following actions TODAY:
* Write a letter to your lawmaker urging them to support the RACE Act
* Sign our RACE Act petition
* Call , , and Senate President urging them to pass the RACE Act
* Join the Unlock Civics Coalition by reaching out to [email protected]
* Sign up to register voters inside the Cook County Jail
* Call your lawmaker urging their support of the RACE Act
* Read and share the RACE Act fact sheet

Address

Chicago, IL

Website

http://www.chicagovotes.com/

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