Two Illinois lawmakers advocate for allowing formerly incarcerated people to run for local office

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State Rep. La Shawn Ford and U.S. Congressman Danny Davis are pushing for a change in Illinois law that would let certain formerly incarcerated individuals run for local office.

Right now, Illinois laws prevent people with felony convictions from running for local positions like mayor or trustee unless they’ve been pardoned or had their rights restored by the governor. This rule, however, doesn’t apply to candidates running for state-level positions, and federal candidates don’t face any felony-related restrictions at all.

"Under Illinois’ inconsistent framework of laws, many formerly incarcerated individuals who served their time and rehabilitated themselves can run for state office or federal office, but cannot serve locally," Ford said. "Our laws currently are not consistent, why do we have one set of standards for those running for state office and another for those running locally? Let’s make our system fairer, give voters more choices and enable people who want to utilize their life experiences to make a positive impact in their home community a real chance."

Ford’s goal is to fix the state’s rules that block people based on the office they’re running for, not on the crime they committed. His plan won’t change the rules for those convicted of a felony while holding office—they’ll still be permanently barred from running again.

"This change would be especially impactful for marginalized communities that have been disproportionately impacted by incarceration," Ford said. "Let’s begin to take the necessary steps forward to create a better, more equal election system here in Illinois." 

Ford will go over the proposal at a press conference set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday.