The Illinois House has passed a bill requiring high schools to provide the opportunity to register eligible students to vote.
The bill, which would take effect in the 2026-27 school year, is in honor of the Rev. Jesse Jackson who died in February. To offset some of the potential cost, non-profits are allowed to support schools when registering students to vote. The bill sets no penalties if a school does not follow the law.
The measure passed with some bipartisan support [77-24], but a majority of Republicans voted against the bill because they are concerned about partisan influence on students registering to vote.
Republican state Rep. Bill Hauter, representing an area between Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, opposed the bill. He said parents need to be involved in the process, and it is an unfunded mandate.
Hauter said the decision should be left to schools on whether they want to prioritize registering students to vote.
“The school should be teaching kids math and reading and all these other things, history, and maybe that would be part of it, voter registration for those who are age appropriate. But lets the schools make that decision,” he said, adding he also is concerned about what he described as liberal schools influencing students to vote for more liberal candidates.
“Is it going to dissolve into a very partisan activity where certain classes that are very liberal or left leaning will say, 'Oh, we're going to make sure that we not only teach very left wing ideology, but we're going to make sure they're registered to vote and that they vote a certain way,'” Hauter said.
Illinois does not require people to declare a party affiliation when registering to vote.
Republican state Rep. Jason Bunting, representing a rural area stretching from McLean County to the suburbs of Chicago, supported the bill, saying it's a non-partisan issue and that every student should have the opportunity to register to vote.
Bunting said when he was in high school, his school helped him register to vote and was surprised to learn his daughter did not get that same opportunity.
“We've got to get these young Americans involved in this process, right off the bat, so they take, they have ownership to what's taking place with elected officials," Bunting said.
He said it's important that students get involved at an early age to prepare them to lead the country in the future and have their voices heard.
“We don't want an electorate out there that's not going out to vote, that's not having their opinions, either in a primary or general election," Bunting said. "We need to make sure we get as many people out there to vote as we possibly can, to drive this country in the right direction.”
Bunting said he understands the concerns of his fellow lawmakers, but voting is one of the most sacred acts in the U.S. that people should participate in as soon as they are eligible.
Democrats supported the bill to expand civic engagement in honor of Jackson.
Democratic state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, representing Peoria, supported the bill, saying it makes the process of registering to vote easier.
“With more resources, I hope more young people will continue to vote and ensure their voices are heard in our community and beyond,” said Gordon-Booth, adding students should have this opportunity because of what Jackson and other civil rights advocates represent.
Democratic state Rep. Sharon Chung, representing Bloomington-Normal, also supported the bill, saying it continues what some schools already have started and gets more people civically engaged.
The bill now goes to the Senate for a vote.
House votes
(R) Jason Bunting — Yes
(D) Sharon Chung — Yes
(R) Regan Deering — No
(D) Jehan Gordon-Booth — Yes
(R) Bill Hauter — No
(R) Ryan Spain — Yes
(R) Dennis Tipsword — No
(R) Travis Weaver — No
