Amendment of Municipal Code Title 2 by adding new Chapter 2-200 titled The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance and establishment of The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Advisory Council on Access to Democracy

Record number: SO2026-0024036
Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
Status: Final
Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
Committee: Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight
Introduction Date: Mar 18, 2026
Final Action Date: May 20, 2026
Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed May 20, 2026

42 yea, 8 nay. This was a divided vote. On motion of Alderperson Martin, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of May 20, 2026.

Nay (8): Marty Quinn (13), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Silvana Tabares (23), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Nicholas Sposato (38), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), James M. Gardiner (45)

Yea (42): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (@cf/openai/gpt-oss-120b) from the ordinance text only: SO2026-0024036 Substitute Ordinance FINAL.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

The ordinance creates a new chapter that protects the personal information of city election workers and other government employees from being shared without consent, especially when it could lead to harassment or intimidation. It also establishes an advisory council to study and recommend ways to make voting more accessible and safe in Chicago. Violations can result in fines of $500 to $5,000 per offense.

It makes it illegal to disclose personal data of government workers if intended to threaten or harass them.
Violators can be fined between $500 and $5,000 for each day the violation occurs.
Government workers can sue for damages if their personal information is improperly shared.
A 10-member advisory council, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council, will recommend policies to improve voting access and safety.
The council must meet at least quarterly and submit an annual report to the mayor and city council.

Who: The ordinance affects city government workers, election staff, and voters by protecting workers' privacy and aiming to improve voting access and safety.

Where: Chicago, Illinois

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This ordinance would make it illegal to share the personal information of election and other local government workers to harm or intimidate them, create a new advisory council on voting access, and require secure mailboxes in multi-unit residential buildings.

Who it affects

Election workers and local government workers: Election judges, poll workers, vote-by-mail staff, and other covered local government workers in the City would be protected from having their personal information shared to harm, stalk, harass, or intimidate them, and could sue people who do it.
People who post or share information online or elsewhere: Anyone who shares a covered government worker's personal information without consent, with intent to cause harm or intimidation, could be fined and sued.
Owners of multi-unit residential buildings: Owners would have to provide a secure mail receptacle for each unit that meets U.S. Postal Service rules, unless the Postal Service does not require one.
Tenants in multi-unit residential buildings: Each unit would be required to have a secure mail receptacle where the Postal Service requires one.
Chicago voters: A new advisory council would study and recommend ways to make voting safer, fairer, and more accessible, including near polling places.
Young adults ages 18 to 24 and community advocates: The advisory council must include one member aged 18 to 24, and members with experience in civil rights, disability access, community organizing, election protection, language access, or voter engagement.

What changes

Sharing a covered government worker's personal information to harm, stalk, harass, or intimidate them would become illegal.
Covered government workers could sue people who dox them for damages, court orders, and attorney's fees.
A new Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Advisory Council on Access to Democracy would meet at least four times a year and may hold public hearings or community meetings.
The council would send a yearly report with findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council by June 1.
Owners of multi-unit residential buildings would have to provide a secure mailbox for each unit where the Postal Service requires one.

Money

Fine of $500 to $5,000 per offense, paid by anyone who illegally shares a government worker's personal information; each day counts as a separate offense.
Government workers whose information is illegally shared could sue to receive damages and reasonable attorney's fees from the person who shared it.

When: Fines take effect ten days after passage and publication; the mailbox requirement takes effect September 1, 2026; the rest takes effect upon passage and approval.

Timeline

Mar 18, 2026: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
May 19, 2026: Substituted, Committee on Health and Human Relations. Substituted in Committee.
May 19, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
May 20, 2026: Passed, City Council (42 yea, 8 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Martin, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

O2026-0024036 Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
SO2026-0024036 Substitute Ordinance FINAL.pdf (Legislation)
O2026-0024036 Mayoral Letter.pdf (Miscellaneous)
SO2026-0024036 Committee Letter.pdf (Committee Letter)

Lobbying and money

Computed links; money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.

Who lobbied on it

Chicagoland Apartment Association: SHARED CONCERNS WITH THE JESSE L JACKSON FAIR ACCESS TO DEMOCRACY ORDINANCE O2026-0024036 AND THAT OUR ASSOCIATION IS ASSESSING OUR POSITION (1 filing, Jan 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2026; Jon Kozlowski; matched by record number)

Money from these interests in the 365 days before the vote

Member	Vote	Amount	From
Brian Hopkins	Yea	$2,250	Chicagoland Apartment Association (company)
Debra L. Silverstein	Yea	$300	Chicagoland Apartment Association (company)
Samantha Nugent	Yea	$250	Chicagoland Apartment Association (company)

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