Empower Young Voters in Illinois

The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Law (HB4339/SB1786) would ensure that every Illinois high school offers nonpartisan voter registration to eligible students before they graduate, starting in the 2026–2027 school year.

Research and lived experience show that first-time participation matters—people who vote early are more likely to keep voting. Normalizing voter registration in high school makes civic engagement a standard part of becoming an adult.

High schools reach nearly every young person, across ZIP codes and income levels. Offering voter registration in a familiar setting reduces disparities and ensures access isn’t dependent on time, transportation, family support, or knowing where to go.

Call or email your Illinois state senator and representative and ask them to support this bill.

Thank you to Chicago-area legislators Senator Robert Peters and Representative Kimberly Du Buclet for sponsoring this bill, and for believing so strongly in Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr.'s vision of a nation where all students “cross the high school stage with a diploma in one hand and their voter registration in the other.”