Thousands of Illinoisans could not vote in November, as the state bans people from voting while serving time for felony sentences. This exclusion from the civic process highlights how incarceration and reintegration challenges can prevent someone participating in democracy.

State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford hasn’t given up on making it legal for people convicted of felonies to vote while serving their sentence. He’s working on new legislation after his first bill stalled in Springfield.