Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A bill encouraging high school students to register to vote passed the Illinois House on a partisan vote.
“We will actively have volunteer organizations connecting with different school districts around the state to try and actively get students registered to vote,” said the House sponsor, State Rep. Kim du Buclet (D-Chicago). “These are non-partisan organizations. This bill is not about any specific party. It’s just about getting out young people involved.”
State Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) said the bill is out of line. “We get radical teachers and school employees trying to influence kids. We had heard a teacher brought kids within walking distance of school and telling them how, which way they want to vote and everything.
“I would rather that we have schools concentrate on educating our kids, and how about we let parents do everything else.”
Weber’s remarks brought an immediate reaction from State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood). “You know, I am consistently amazed,” he said. “At some point, all of us are going to be replaced, presumably by someone younger than us. When it comes time to do efforts like this, from the other side of the aisle, you don’t want it to happen.”
The bill, named for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, now goes to the Senate.
