Monday, May 8 - Prisoners Voting Rights / Truth Brigade Wednesday
Action You Can Take Today
Action 1: DUE TOMORROW - Sign a witness slip for House Bill 39, Voting in Prison (proponent)
Action 2: Truth Brigade BIG TRUTHS: Campaign Launch on Wednesday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m. CT (virtual event)
Action 1: DUE TOMORROW - Witness Slip for HB39
Felony disenfranchisement is a relic of the Jim Crow era. Today in Illinois, 55% of people in prison are Black despite Black people making up only 15% of the state’s overall population. Disenfranchising people in prison silences community members, without making anyone safer.
House Bill 39 (formerly Senate Bill 828), Voting in Prison, restores voting rights to people incarcerated in Illinois prisons, post-conviction. If passed, House Bill 39 (HB39) would make Illinois the first state to restore voting rights to people in prison, joining Maine, Vermont, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico as places in the U.S. that allow incarcerated citizens to vote.
House Bill 39 is scheduled for a subject matter hearing Tuesday, May 9th at 3 pm in the House Ethics & Elections Committee. Lawmakers will hear from advocates, formerly incarcerated folks, and community members about voting rights restoration for people in Illinois prisons.
Until then, we need to get as many people as possible to tell lawmakers they support #VotinginPrison by filing a witness slip as a "proponent" of the bill.
How to file a witness slip:
I. IDENTIFICATION: with your information. In the Firm/Business or Agency Box and in the Title Box, identify as "Self."
II. REPRESENTATION: as "Self" (unless you actually are representing an organization)
III. POSITION: Select "HB39" in the Subject Matter dropdown. Select "Proponent."
IV. TESTIMONY: select "Record of Appearance Only
Action via Chicago Votes
Action 2: Truth Brigade Wednesday
Take a close look at any path to real progress and you’ll find roadblocks, potholes, and broken bridges deliberately planted by the extremist disinformation machine. Today, that disinformation (and misinformation) is ever-more insidious and entrenched, with a recent study showing close to 60% of voters believing at least some extremist disinformation.
The good news? 85% of disinformation is spread by accident.
Our Indivisible network (that means you!) is uniquely set up to break through those disinformation roadblocks and pave the way to progress as a national, grassroots effort driven by flexible Indivisibles ready to act. We can prove it, and you can do it.
At this month’s call we will:
Break down a Truth Brigade independent messaging study about why we know the messaging works
Explore how to navigate persuasive conversations you didn’t know were possible
Dive into this week’s message campaign: Gun Violence Disinformation
And center how to change the world by opening minds
Help us throw a wrench in the democracy-destroying lie machine. Join us Wednesday, May 10 at 5:30 CT for the Indivisible Truth Brigade Big Truths Call.
Action via Indivisible
While some of these Daily Actions come from our own work as Indivisible Chicago Alliance, others are from our many partners working to advance the progressive agenda. We invite you to join us in supporting their work. Postings from partners do not imply Indivisible Chicago Alliance endorsement of specific policies and positions.