Our Election Work
Restore Justice Illinois works to elect people who will protect criminal legal system reforms and continue moving our state forward.
GETTING OUT THE VOTE
Help us elect Illinois legislators who believe in people and in fairness and who will vote for criminal legal system reform.
We support — by getting out the vote and making donations — candidates who value the power of transformation and human dignity, and who will put people first. We identify candidates who lead with compassion and believe in fairness.
Get To Know Your Legislators
Here are ways to identify your legislators and learn more about them.
Our Focus
The Issues That Matter to Us in Elections
We focus on three areas of law and policy: sentencing reform, the conditions of incarceration, and meaningful pathways to release. These areas impact not only the individuals who serve Illinois’ most extreme sentences, but their loved ones and communities as well. We support candidates who prioritize these issues.
Sentencing
In Illinois, a number of sentencing laws converge to create a system that consistently results in extremely long prison terms. We look for and endorse candidates who believe in reforming sentencing laws.
Prison Conditions and Practices
The human, social and economic costs of our current prison state are intolerable – change can’t wait any longer. Restore Justice supports efforts to move Illinois corrections towards a model that values rehabilitation over punishment.
Release
Restore Justice supports efforts to give rehabilitated people more meaningful pathways to earn their release. Currently, that means restoring Illinois to its pre-1978 parole-for-release system and rolling back truth-in-sentencing laws. We support legislators who believe in creating more tangible release opportunities.