As an authorized registrar, I recently volunteered to register voters at Kroger’s. I asked customers whether they are registered to vote. One man responded, “I can’t.” At first I assumed he meant he was in a hurry. Having second thoughts, I looked for him in the store to ask him. He said, “No. I was in prison. When I got out, I was told I could never vote again.”

I explained to him that was not true! He was thrilled and immediately registered right there in Kroger’s.

According to Tom Bride, Peoria Election Commission executive director, “Voting rights of convicted felons differ from state to state. In Illinois, as long as the felon is not incarcerated or on work release, he or she may register to vote.”

Tazewell County Clerk Christie Webb explains by law she is notified when people are convicted and must remove their names from the list of registered voters; but once released they are free to register again.

Illinois thankfully is not battling the numerous efforts to keep people from voting as is common in states with Republican-controlled legislatures. But this practice in Illinois prisons of telling felons they can never vote again is preventing Illinois citizens from exercising their basic right to vote and must be stopped.

Terry Galvin Matthews, Washington, IL