CBA Record September-October 2022

PRO BONOWEEK 2022 – EMPOWERING PEOPLE, EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES

Since 2020, Cook County Jail has oper f ated a temporary polling place for people who are detained there. And this year, the Will County Adult Detention Facility became the second facility to operate as a temporary polling place. ^0 )PU )p/ NsOL SsWOLO)OU* pO)P O0f-U+*/0 '/)O0Qg !POWsQ/ ZspnU+*5 !/22O))UU )+sO0* '/L(0)UU+* )/ *U+'U s* 0/0f-s+)O*s0 -/LLfps)WPU+*e bsWP SsWOLO)n /-U+s)U* S/(+ O0f-U+*/0 '/)O0Q Vsn* pPU+U )PU ULUW)O/0 authorities bring election judges and set up an early voting site in the facility. While these polling places are big steps for voter access for the people in )PU SsWOLO)OU*g '/)U+* *)OLL Ps'U *OQ0OuWs0) challenges in this setting. Many of them 0UUV )/ ()OLOmU

For some questions, it may be that the only way to properly address or under f *)s0V )PU O**(U O* )/ *U0V s 0/0f-s+)O*s0 -/LLfps)WPU+ /() )/ )PU -/LLO0Q -LsWU s0V observe the issue in person. In many O0*)s0WU*g -/LLfps)WPU+* Ws0 +U*/L'U O**(U* /0f*O)Ue ^) 2OQP) rU )Ps) s0 ULUW)O/0 N(VQU has been providing incorrect information or has misunderstood something about the voter registration process. Having an O0f-U+*/0g )+sO0UV -/LLfps)WPU+ Ws0 rU )PU most effective way at determining (and sometimes resolving) an issue impacting voters.

leading up to election day or after the deadline has passed to request a mail ballot. The work of advocates and volunteers who support voting in this environment is inspiring. But we know that more needs to be done, including expanding the number /S SsWOLO)OU* )Ps) /SSU+ O0f-U+*/0 '/)O0Qg to ensure that additional and unnecessary barriers are erected that prevent people from accessing the ballot. Policy Change Supporting voters on election day is 'O)sL S/+ s0/)PU+ +Us*/0B )PUO+ *)/+OU* s0V information help inform the ongoing sV'/WsWn USS/+)* /S !POWsQ/ ZspnU+*5 Committee and our community partners. 6/)U+ Uo-U+OU0WU* s+U S/(0Vs)O/0sL S/+ proposing new ideas about how to better ensure the right to vote is protected. But )PU+U s+U *)OLL Q+/(-* /S -U/-LU )Ps) V/05) have a voice in this process because they are unfairly denied the right to vote. For much of our advocacy work, we partner with pro bono attorneys to sup f port different forms of advocacy, from litigation to policy research. For example, for our work with the Unlock Civics coali f tion that advocates for people in prison to be able to vote, we partner with attorneys at Dechert LLP, who have supported us pO)P *OQ0OuWs0) LUQsL +U*Us+WP s0V s0sLn*O*e On numerous occasions, Dechert attor f neys have also provided valuable insight and testimony at legislative and adminis f trative meetings and coalition spaces.

@U/-LU pP/ s+U O0 NsOL O0 -+Uf)+OsL VU)U0f tion are eligible to vote up until they begin *U+'O0Q s *U0)U0WU /S W/0u0U2U0) (0VU+ s W+O2O0sL W/0'OW)O/0e 6/)O0Q O0 NsOL O* s major step towards ensuring access to the rsLL/) S/+ -U/-LU S+/2 /'U+f-/LOWUV W/2f 2(0O)OU* pP/ s+U L/WMUV (- O0 -+Uf)+OsL detention in disproportionate numbers. Jails disproportionately house people of color. In August 2022, about 75% of those detained by the Cook County =PU+OSS 5* ASuWU pU+U "LsWMg s0V D1 pU+U 4PO)Ue =PU+OSS 5* zsOLn >U-/+) DdGdJcJJg !//M !/(0)n =PU+OSS 5* ASuWUg pppeW//Mf countysheriff.org/data. This is a wildly disproportionate number when com f -s+UV )/ /'U+sLL -/-(Ls)O/0 uQ(+U*g pPU+U only about 24% of Cook County resi f dents are Black and 65% are white. 2021 Population Estimates, QuickFacts Cook County Illinois, United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ cookcountyillinois/PST045221. Volunteer Joe Lifsics of Kirkland & Ellis with community partner Pamela Fort of Speak Up andVote after acting as a non-partisan poll-watcher in Will County Adult Detention Facility.

Chicago Lawyers’ Committee sta ff and volunteers protect voting rights at Cook County Jail. CBA RECORD 33