Gordon-Booth Backed Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Act Signed into Law

PEORIA, Ill. — State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, supports a new 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.

“High school education goes beyond the classroom,” said Gordon-Booth. “This school year, high school seniors across Illinois will be educated about registering to vote, an important step towards being civically engaged.”

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, and so much more.

“As the daughter of two lifelong civil rights activists, I look up to people like Reverend Jesse Jackson Dr. who marched and organized for the rights we now enjoy,” said Gordon-Booth. “This expansion of youth voter registration will help realize Rev. Jackson’s goal of a more engaged, activated youth.”

House Bill 4339 was signed into law last month and will be in effect this school year.