Reintegration and Civic Empowerment Act of 2026 (ILARJ Proponent)
Witness Slips WATCH
No immediate public support is required, but we expect opportunities to help this legislation will be available in the near future.
This legislation will need your support. Witness slips are the most direct way the public can support this legislation. When lawmakers are considering this bill, they will allow for witness slips to be sent from the public. Scroll down to read more about this legislation.
Endorsed By
About H.B. 5414 / S.B. 2983
Why file a witness slip?
Witness slips — especially for subject matter hearings — are an important consideration for legislators when deciding on legislation. A strong showing for witness slips in a subject matter hearing shows our lawmakers that we, the public, truly care. Every voice matters, and you do not have to be an IL resident or voter to sign a witness slip.
Why Now?
The RACE Act has the potential to be the first major response Illinois can make to the Supreme Court since the Voting Rights Act was gutted in Louisiana v. Callais, 608 U.S. ___ (2026).
The Reintegration RACE Act would restore the right to vote for over 30,000 Illinoisians who are currently incarcerated, effectively ending all disenfranchisement for people in the criminal legal system in Illinois.
The Reintegration RACE Act will limit the period of disenfranchisement to only two weeks, expand access to civics education for all incarcerated persons, and allows people to vote now.
FACTS
95% of people in prison return home.
Civic engagement is a cornerstone of reentry and reintegration, reducing recidivism and making communities safer.
The RACE Act promotes rehabilitation
When incarcerated persons are treated as stakeholders rather than outsiders, willingness to take personal responsibility and motivation to reenter are dramatically increased.
Family connections are strengthened through voting
People in prison are more invested in staying together with family when they are given a voice in matters involving them.
The ability to vote restores dignity and upholds our democracy
Without the right to vote, the voice of many incarcerated persons is diminished. While leadership spaces can and do exist, voting provides incarcerated persons an accessible and acceptable way for them to address the inhumane conditions they are subjected to.
Credit to Chicago Votes | Unlock Civics for the information presented in the Facts section of this page; however, the information does not reflect Chicago Votes | Unlock Civics directly. The wording is reflective of ILARJ’s stance on the RACE Act.
