LT. GOV. STRATTON ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF AQUINO VOTING RIGHTS BILL
03/20/2019
SPRINGFIELD – Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton testified in the Senate Executive Committee hearing today in favor of a bill introduced by State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) that would provide expanded voting opportunities to incarcerated individuals.
“In my role as Lieutenant Governor and leading the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative, I’m here to express my strong support for Senate Bill 2090,” said Stratton. “For in this instance, real justice can only come about when we remove barriers so that people who are eligible to vote are provided a real opportunity to do so.”
Under the Illinois Election Code, individuals in jail who are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of a crime are still eligible to vote. Senate Bill 2090 would require each election authority in a county to work with the county jail to provide an opportunity to vote by mail for those individuals. The bill is nearly identical to a bill introduced by the Lieutenant Governor when she was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
“For too long, the obligation of finding out how to vote has been put on the shoulders of individuals with records and the men and women who are incarcerated, their lawyers, and their advocates,” Stratton said. “This all results in one thing: disenfranchisement.”
Senator Aquino thanked Stratton for her support and advocacy for voting rights. “Your voice in this administration will lend a hand in providing every eligible voter an opportunity to do so,” he said.
Senate Bill 2090 passed the Senate Executive Committee and is scheduled for consideration before the full Senate.
“In my role as Lieutenant Governor and leading the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative, I’m here to express my strong support for Senate Bill 2090,” said Stratton. “For in this instance, real justice can only come about when we remove barriers so that people who are eligible to vote are provided a real opportunity to do so.”
Under the Illinois Election Code, individuals in jail who are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of a crime are still eligible to vote. Senate Bill 2090 would require each election authority in a county to work with the county jail to provide an opportunity to vote by mail for those individuals. The bill is nearly identical to a bill introduced by the Lieutenant Governor when she was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
“For too long, the obligation of finding out how to vote has been put on the shoulders of individuals with records and the men and women who are incarcerated, their lawyers, and their advocates,” Stratton said. “This all results in one thing: disenfranchisement.”
Senator Aquino thanked Stratton for her support and advocacy for voting rights. “Your voice in this administration will lend a hand in providing every eligible voter an opportunity to do so,” he said.
Senate Bill 2090 passed the Senate Executive Committee and is scheduled for consideration before the full Senate.
