ILLINOIS – In response to an alarming attempt by conservative groups to force Illinois to purge the voter rolls, putting the registrations of lawful voters at risk, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and the Illinois AFL-CIO filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch, Illinois Family Action, and Breakthrough Ideas, which aims to pressure Illinois election officials to improperly remove masses of eligible voters – efforts that threaten to disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities, low-income workers, senior citizens and students.
“In light of this threat to our nation's democratic fabric, we have taken decisive action by filing a motion to intervene to protect against these unjust purges and ensure that every eligible voter's voice is heard,” said Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery. “Our legal challenge emphasizes the importance of adhering to established state and federal election laws that are designed to safeguard citizens' rights to participate in the electoral process free from undue interference.”
“The IL AFL-CIO has a long history of safeguarding democracy by advocating for policies that protect all citizens' access to the ballot box. It is our duty to protect all voters from disenfranchisement, especially the Black and Brown communities, low-income workers, senior citizens, and students most at risk in this lawsuit,” said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “More than ever, we must remain vigilant in the face of attempts to cast doubt on the integrity of our elections. We are resolute in our commitment to defending democracy and protecting voting rights for all Americans.”
A copy of the motion to intervene can be found here.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) represents 103,000 teachers and paraprofessionals in PreK-12 school districts throughout Illinois, faculty and staff at Illinois’ community colleges and universities, public employees under every statewide elected constitutional officer, and retirees.
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