Peorians for Voter Rights

In June 2023, a controversial decision was made by the Election Commission in a 3-1 vote to end prepaid postage after November’s election. This move was criticized by many, including NAACP Election Chair Jackie Petty, who equated it to “voters paying to vote.”

Change Peoria, in collaboration with Peoria Proud and the NAACP, took a stand against this decision. They worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the issue and advocated for the rights of voters. A letter was written by Ryan Hidden that was shared and signed onto by 12 local community organizations. This letter, submitted to the Election Commission, and read at the meeting by Sawyer Krause of Change Peoria urged for a reversal of the decision.

Their efforts bore fruit when swift action from the community led to a 3-2 vote on November 16th, 2023, in favor of reinstating the process of providing prepaid postage for mail-in ballots for Peoria county. This victory marked a significant step in ensuring that every citizen’s right to vote is upheld and not hindered by unnecessary costs.

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For more details and to read the letter submitted to the Election Commission, see below