Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement today following the state Senate’s vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of automatic voter registration in Illinois:

“Automatic voter registration is a commonsense, good-government measure that streamlines services and saves money while requiring state bureaucracy to work for the people, not the other way around. There is no reason to force citizens to interact with state government twice when once will do the job. We can offer one-stop shopping – you get your driver’s license and you’re registered to vote.

“Automatic voter registration is a logical next step in our ongoing efforts to expand the franchise in Illinois and encourage people to participate in elections. It would alleviate the need for same-day registration, put an end to duplicative government paperwork, save the taxpayers money and make life easier for the people of Illinois.”

Harmon is a longtime ambassador for efforts to expand voter access in Illinois, sponsoring measures to bring early voting, online voter registration, vote-by-mail and same-day voter registration to the state.

As a result of those efforts, this year nearly 60,000 Illinoisans took advantage of grace-period voter registration (Oct. 24 until Election Day), according to Election Day figures compiled by the Illinois State Board of Elections. In at least two Chicago-area counties, lines for same-day voter registration reportedly topped out at two hours, and in Carbondale in southern Illinois more than 700 people took advantage of same-day registration.

Online voter registration continues to be a popular option with voters, as well, with some 62,000 people throughout the state registering during one weekend in late October alone, according to a Board of Elections spokesman.

Harmon is a chief co-sponsor of Senate Bill 250, the automatic voter registration bill, which garnered broad bipartisan support in both houses of the Legislature in the spring but was vetoed during the summer by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

FRANKLIN PARK -- Dozens of area residents took advantage of a one-stop shop for health and wellness resources, government services and information about local programs during a health fair sponsored by Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and the Village of Franklin Park on Friday, Oct. 21.

Scroll down for video from event.

Community health fairs like these are an important service provided by elected officials because they are a way to bring public and private resources to residents.

"I think it's important to bring government resources to the people I represent and not expect them always to come and find out from government what resources are available," Harmon said, noting that the state budget stalemate has affected the availability of services to people throughout Illinois.

"As folks find doors that used to be open to them closed, they're looking to find the open windows, and that's what we're trying to do here -- to make sure that as many state and local, public and private resources as we can muster are pulled together in one place at one time so that folks can take full advantage of them."

The Franklin Park health fair included flu shots, free health screenings, public safety information, local service providers and more.

Harmon is hosting a second health fair on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Addison Park District community room, 120 E. Oak St.. Rep. Kathleen Willis is co-sponsoring the event, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and will feature a variety of services, including:

• Flu shots from Walgreens (insurance required, Medicare or cash payment accepted)
• Free health screenings and disease prevention information
• On-site motor-vehicle services from the Illinois secreatry of state, including driver's license and ID renewal
• Unclaimed property search with the help of the Illinois treasurer's I-Cash program
• The Illinois attorney general's anti-fraud unit
• Information from local oragnizations, including the Addison Fire Protection District, the Addison Park District, Elmhurst Hospital and more
• Giveaways and refreshments

The Addison health fair is free and open to people of all ages. For more information, contact Senator Harmon's office at 708-848-2002.

FRANKLIN PARK – Area residents will be able to drop off old and unwanted medications at a health fair in Franklin Park on Friday.

The event, sponsored by Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Franklin Park village officials, will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the community room of the Franklin Park police station, 9451 Belmont Ave.

“With the rise in opioid abuse in Illinois, it is more important than ever for people to responsibly dispose of old medications,” Harmon said, noting that National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is this weekend.

“When unwanted prescription drugs are left sitting around in medicine cabinets or drawers, they can be stolen by curious teenagers and other people who wander in and out of the home, and that contributes to the alarming numbers of opioid addiction and fatal overdose numbers we’ve been seeing.”

The Franklin Park Police Department will collect the unwanted medications and dispose of them safely and responsibly.

Friday’s health fair will feature a variety of additional services and resources from healthcare providers, government agencies and local organizations.

• Free hearing, glucose and cholesterol testing from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
• Flu shots provided by Walgreens (people should bring their Medicare or insurance cards).
• Utility bill analysis by the Citizens Utility Board and tips for saving money on energy bills (people should bring their copies of their most recent utility bills).
• The Franklin Park Health Department will collect old cell phones to be refurbished and given to senior citizens for use in emergencies.
• Information on senior and homebound services by the Franklin Park Library.
• Information on senior and community recreational opportunities by the Park District of Franklin Park.
• Help with government assistance programs by Leyden Family Services.
• The Franklin Park Fire Department will provide information on the Knox Box program, which allows firefighters and EMTs easy entry to homes during emergencies.
• Giveaways and refreshments.

Additional organizations participating in the health fair include Cook County Health and Hospital Systems, Elmhurst Hospital, Oak Street Health, Leyden Township, Casa San Carlos and the Illinois comptroller’s office.

For more information, call Senator Harmon’s Oak Park office at 708-848-2002, the Village of Franklin Park at 847-671-8282 or visit vofp.com.

FRANKLIN PARK – Area residents are invited to join Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Franklin Park officials on Oct. 21 for a senior health and resource fair.

The event is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages will be able to ask questions and obtain information from a variety of service and health care providers, state programs and local groups. They also can take advantage of a variety of free health screenings and discounted flu shots from Walgreens.

The Village of Franklin Park and Mayor Barrett Pedersen are co-sponsoring the event with Harmon.

Details below:

Friday, Oct. 21
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Community room of the Franklin Park police station, 9451 Belmont Ave.

• Free health screenings for hearing, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose
• Discounted flu shots from Walgreens (visitors should bring their insurance cards)
• Drop-off site for unwanted medications
• Utility bill analysis and monthly cost-savings tips from the Citizens Utility Board
• Giveaways and refreshments
• Additional representatives available from Franklin Park police and fire departments, the local park district and library, Cook County Health and Hospital System, the Illinois comptroller’s office, Leyden Family Services, Oak Street Health and more.

For more information, call Senator Harmon’s Oak Park office at 708-848-2002, the Village of Franklin Park at 847-671-8282 or visit vofp.com.

Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement today in response to a Republican-controlled think tank’s step toward curbing voter access in Illinois:

“How disappointing that on National Voter Registration Day – a day intended to remind people of their right to register and vote in this country – a blatantly political effort to quell participation in Illinois elections was able to get a toehold in a courtroom.

“Rather than seeking to scale back opportunities to register to vote in certain parts of Illinois, we should be working to expand access to the polls in all communities throughout the state.”

Harmon was the chief Senate sponsor of the 2014 same-day voter registration initiative, which was challenged in court in August by the legal arm of a conservative political think tank that is backed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. A judge on Tuesday ruled in its favor and issued a preliminary injunction barring same-day voter registration in Illinois. It’s unclear if an appeal will be filed.