Ammons-Backed Bill Passes, Empowering Young Voters, Inspired by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, helped pass a bill encouraging and expanding access to youth civic engagement by requiring high schools to provide voter registration opportunities and information, inspired by the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.

“Women and people of color have fought for the right to vote in our country for over a century,” said Ammons. “It’s our job to honor those who came before us, demanding civil and voting rights, and continue to expand on their hard work and sacrifice.”

House Bill 4339, establishing the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Act, ensures that all public high schools offer students of voting age the opportunity to register to vote. Registering to vote can be complicated, especially for first-time voters. This bill will give high schoolers a safe space to learn, ask questions, and take steps towards civic engagement. 

This bill honors Rev. Jackson, Sr. and his dedication to equal rights and public service, who passed away earlier this year after a storied career marching alongside Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., developing the Rainbow Coalition based in Chicago, among other significant accomplishments.

“Rev. Jackson called me the Little Girl from Champaign, and I was honored to learn from him,” said Ammons. “He would agree that the earlier civic engagement begins, the longer people will be involved in their community. Registering to vote in high school is just the beginning of civic life our youth will lead.”

House Bill 4339 was passed unanimously by Democrats, with 24 Republicans voting against and nine not voting, and now heads to the Senate for consideration.