Lilly Highlights New Law Allowing Hospitalized Residents to Change Voter Registration

CHICAGO – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is promoting a new law taking effect in 2019 that extends voting access to long-term residents of hospitals and mental institutions.

“Despite being a principle this nation was founded on, there are still rigorous limitations to voting for some people to participate in their democracy,” said Lilly. “This new law will create a streamlined process to ease people’s ability to vote at the health care institution where they reside in Illinois.”

House Bill 2477 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2019 and provides a streamlined process for people to vote in a hospital or mental health institution where they have lived for at least 180 days, by allowing residents to change their voting address to the address of their residential health care facility. Problems have arisen with out-of-state residents of Illinois facilities being unable to vote in their home state, which was the impetus behind this new law. Lilly supported the measure to improve voting access for people in need of physical and mental health care and ensure that their votes are counted.

“We need to be consistently finding ways to make voting accessible for everyone,” Lilly said. “This includes maximizing the options available to those who are unable to vote in person, so they can still exercise this fundamental right of citizenship.”

Lilly represents Chicago’s West Side, Oak Park, River Grove, Elmwood Park, Franklin Park and Melrose Park. Join her weekly newsletter to stay up to date with events and news from the 78th District.