DON'T GIVE UP HOPE, GET OUT TO VOTE! Speaker Welch Brings Voting Rights Organizations Together to Strengthen Voter Registration and Get-Out-the-Vote Efforts

Coalition will collaborate on voter education, registration, access and transportation to the polls

CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch convened a broad coalition of voting rights, civil rights and community organizations to coordinate efforts focused on voter registration, voter education, turnout and access to the polls.

The initiative brings together Excellence in Bleu, Chicago Urban League, the West Suburban Branch of the NAACP, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Chicago Votes, the League of Women Voters of Chicago, the Cook County Clerk's Office, The Black United Fund, and Equity and Transformation.

The coalition will focus on connecting eligible voters with accurate election information, registration resources, and assistance in overcoming practical barriers to voting, including transportation to polling locations.

"Voting is the foundation of our democracy, but the right to vote only has meaning when people can actually exercise it," said Speaker Welch. "That means making sure people know when, where, and how to vote—and working to remove practical barriers that can prevent eligible voters from reaching the ballot box. Sometimes that barrier is information. Sometimes it is registration. And sometimes it is simply getting to the polls."

The coalition effort follows recent action in Springfield on voting access and representation.

This summer, House Bill 4339, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Law, was signed into law. Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, the law requires Illinois school districts serving grades 9 through 12 to provide eligible graduating students with an opportunity to register to vote.

Speaker Welch was also the House sponsor of HJRCA 28, a proposed Illinois constitutional amendment concerning legislative redistricting. The measure, approved by the Illinois House in April, would establish constitutional standards intended to ensure that citizens are not denied an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice on account of race. It also addresses the creation of racial coalition or influence districts where practical.

The coalition's work will complement those legislative efforts by focusing on community-level participation.

Speaker Welch's 501(c)(4) organization, Excellence in Bleu, will sponsor buses to help transport voters to polling locations, while participating organizations will coordinate voter education, registration and community outreach.

"At a time when voter participation and mobilization have declined, we cannot afford to allow people to become disconnected from the power of their vote," said Yusef D. Jackson, President of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. "This moment requires organizations, community leaders, and advocates to come together across constituencies with a shared commitment to reaching people where they are, registering new voters, and making sure our communities are prepared to participate fully in our democracy.

"We were honored to welcome Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, Excellence in Bleu and so many organizations committed to doing this work. No one organization can do it alone. Building a strong, coordinated coalition is how we turn registration into participation, participation into power, and power into meaningful change for the people we serve."

Chicago Votes Executive Director Stevie Valles emphasized the importance of engaging voters across generations and communities.

"Building a stronger democracy requires a multigenerational and multiracial movement—one that brings together people from across communities and political perspectives to ensure everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to participate," said Valles, who leads the Reimagine Civics Coalition.

Speaker Welch emphasized that the initiative is intended to build long-term civic infrastructure rather than focus solely on a single election. Participating organizations will coordinate their existing relationships, expertise, and community networks to provide voters with information and resources.

"Each organization at this table brings relationships, expertise and credibility that no single organization could replicate on its own," Welch said. "By working together, we can reach more people, register more voters, provide reliable information and help more citizens get to the polls. Democracy is strongest when more people participate."

Additional details regarding voter registration activities, community outreach, and transportation-to-the-polls initiatives will be announced as the coalition's work moves forward.

To join these efforts, email [email protected]. Contributions to support this effort can be directed to Chicago Votes https://secure.everyaction.com/hiSFCz6RvkyNNEkzV4MTKw2 or Excellence in Bleu https://www.excellenceinbleu.org/. 

SOURCE Excellence in Bleu