IL State Rep. Kimberly DuBuclet Introduces the Jesse Jackson, Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Law, Honoring a Civil Rights Legacy While Investing in the Next Generation of Voters

CHICAGO — State Representative Kimberly DuBuclet (D-Chicago) has introduced new legislation to expand voter registration opportunities for high school students across Illinois, honoring the legacy of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, Sr. and his lifelong fight to make democracy accessible to all.

For decades, Rev. Jackson stood at the forefront of the struggle to protect and expand voting rights—organizing, marching, and challenging systems that excluded young people, Black communities, and working families from full participation in civic life. Naming this legislation in his honor is both a tribute and a statement of purpose: democracy only works when every generation is invited in.

“Our democracy is strongest when participation is broad, inclusive, and intentional,” DuBuclet said. “Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. devoted his life to breaking down barriers to the ballot box. This bill carries that legacy forward by empowering young people at the very moment they begin to shape their civic identity.”

DuBuclet filed House Bill 4339, the Jesse Jackson, Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Law, which would require Illinois high schools to provide students with the opportunity to register to vote in a nonpartisan setting. Participation would remain voluntary, and the bill explicitly prohibits partisan organizations from engaging in voter registration activities in schools—ensuring the process is educational, neutral, and student-centered.

While young people are among the most passionate advocates on issues ranging from climate change and gun violence to economic opportunity, they remain the least likely age group to participate in elections. This legislation recognizes that disengagement is not a lack of interest, but often a lack of access, information, or timely opportunity.

At its core, the bill is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: civic engagement should begin where students already are. By integrating voter registration opportunities into high schools, Illinois can help normalize participation, build lifelong voting habits, and send a clear message to young people that their voices matter.

“This is about more than a form or a deadline,” DuBuclet said. “It’s about affirming that young people belong in our democracy. When we make it easier for students to register to vote, we are telling them that their perspectives, their experiences, and their future matter.”

By pairing the legacy of Jesse Jackson, Sr. with a forward-looking policy solution, the legislation bridges past and present—honoring the sacrifices that expanded voting rights while investing in the next generation of civic leaders.

DuBuclet said she hopes the measure will strengthen communities across Illinois by increasing voter participation, deepening civic awareness, and continuing the unfinished work of building a more inclusive democracy.

“Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. has spent a lifetime insisting that young people belong at the center of our democracy, not on the sidelines,” said Jane Ruby, president of the League of Women Voters of Chicago. “Thanks to this legislation, more young Chicagoans can take that first important step into civic life and begin building lifelong voting habits.

“ I am indeed grateful for IL State Rep representative Du Buclet and IL Senator Robert  Peters for introducing legislation in that  that codifies my vision of every like high student in Illinois graduating with a high school diploma and a voter registration card and is civically informed and ready to exercise their constitutional right to votes,” said Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.