By: Ashmar Mandou

On Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Illinois announced a new statewide Voter Protection Initiative to guarantee that all Illinois voters have open and fair access to the polls and work to resolve any barrier to voting in the state. Joined by Cook County Commissioner Jesús Chuy García, DPI Executive Director Christian Mitchell illustrated how the party will apply dedicated staff to coordinate voter protection through every campaign and county organization. Mitchell said the DPI would work with local officials or courts if necessary to resolve any barrier to voting.

“Voting is every American’s fundamental right, one that was fought for in countless battles. Even today, there are countless examples of voter suppression and barriers to voting, and we will work diligently to dismantle those efforts,” said DPI Executive Director Christian Mitchell. “Illinois has some of the strongest voting laws in this country, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back and be passive this election. Today, the Democratic Party of Illinois is sending a strong message: your vote is important and we’re here to fight for it.”

Both Mitchell and García recognized the countless people of color and generations of women that were denied the right to vote and risked their lives to make voting easier today. Mitchell pointed out that the fight continues today with voting rights under attack across the country. Since 2010, states have passed laws requiring photo identification at the polls and have curtailed early voting. Commissioner García noted that he emigrated to the United States the same year the Voting Rights Act was enacted – but recently, the U.S. Supreme Court has gutted the Voting Rights Act.

“I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of their right to vote and to appreciate how important it is – especially for the Latino community – this election cycle,” said Cook County Commissioner Jesús Chuy García. “People of color are under attack by the Trump administration and by their allies in Illinois, so we must resist those efforts, whether it is done as an outward attempt at suppression or ignorance by election officials. If any Illinoisan encounters any obstacle to voting, I urge them to call the DPI hotline at 1-833-VOTER18.” As part of this initiative, the DPI announced a new hotline that voters can call to report any instances of voter intimidation or voter suppression, or any unintentional instances of barriers. Voters can call 1-833-VOTER18, which will serve English and Spanish speakers.