Accomplishments

Measuring Success

We evaluate our overall work by a triple bottom-line: immediate results, medium-term altering of the political landscape, and the development of new leaders for the long-term.

We place an ongoing emphasis on measuring results and tracking progress within these goals. In order to measure the results of the work conducted we analyze the scope of our work through analyzing the following: (1) Reach; the number of people touched by the work and (2) Impact; the lasting repercussions of our work in the city and beyond. We believe both are necessary to successfully advance our mission to increase civic engagement among young people in the City of Chicago

There are 4 million people in Illinois with a previous criminal record. Roughly 80% do not know they have the right to vote. If HB4469 passes, every person who goes through the re-entry process will be given a voter registration form and voter education.

There are approximately 20,000 people detained in jail pre-trial in Illinois. Those who are citizens have the right to vote in elections. However, without a formal process in place, voting in jail is nearly impossible, HB4469 will set up systems to ensure people detained can vote.

Due in part to our outreach and work on police accountability, Chicago saw an 80% decrease in the number of stop and frisk instances when Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced reforms to provide data transparency regarding Stop and Frisk a week after we held a press conference in city hall with We Charge Genocide.

Our advocacy efforts contributed to a victory in passing SB 250 for automatic voter registration through the Illinois general assembly, which could add 2 million eligible citizens to the voter rolls in Illinois.

We have surveyed almost 8,000 young people to identify which issues matter the most to youth in Chicago.

Chicago Votes has collected over 15,000 pledge to vote cards after having thousands of conversations in the field on the importance of voting.

Illinois saw 80% of newly registered voters for the primary election in March happen through online voter registration.

An estimated 40,000 voters registered using Same Day Voter Registration on election day in early 2016.

We have added over 30,000 new, young voters to the voter rolls since 2012.