SPRINGFIELD — To fulfill Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s vision of ensuring every high school student graduates with both a diploma and voter registration card, State Senator Robert Peters championed a law that recognizes education and civic engagement go hand in hand.
“I worked with a coalition of civic advocates throughout this process who all had one goal: honor the legacy of civil rights pioneer Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who acted as a towering and unwavering figure of racial and political equity for decades,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This law does exactly that by ensuring our state’s youth are presented a meaningful opportunity to register to vote before they graduate, in turn keeping Illinois on a path of progress and justice.”
Studies show that people who vote earlier in life are more likely to remain active voters and participants in their communities for decades to come, yet high school students are not automatically provided the resources needed to register once they age into the electorate.
Peters’ law ensures school districts serving students in grades nine through 12 provide all eligible graduating students with the opportunity to register to vote before they receive their diploma beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Peters emphasized that while the law honors Rev. Jackson’s memory and dedication to progress, the goal is to make civic engagement as natural and expected as earning a high school diploma.
“This law is about getting our youth involved in the democratic process and showing them their voice is not only wanted, but also needed, to shape policy in our state and across our nation,” Peters added. “I’m proud to carry this law over the finish line to honor Rev. Jackson’s memory and empower our next generation of voters.”
Peters worked closely with the civic coalition Chair Dr. Jo Ann Roberts, who organized directly with Jackson and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition for decades, as well as Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps, Devorah Crable, Letina Brady Pettis, Betty Magness, Frederique Desrosiers and Jane Ruby to create the law.
House Bill 4339 was signed into law Friday and goes into immediate effect.
