CHICAGO – The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners welcomed their new Commissioner June A. Brown today, who was sworn in by the Office of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County on January 13, 2022. A long time voting rights advocate and practicing attorney, Commissioner Brown replaces the seat formerly occupied by Commissioner Jonathan Swain.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected for this position and I look forward to serving the public alongside my fellow Commissioners. The right to vote is a precious promise, and we will work as hard as we can to protect this important constitutional right and continue to administer fair and transparent elections for voters in Chicago,” said Commissioner June A. Brown.
June A. Brown grew up in Bessemer, Alabama and her work in civil rights and voters' rights was informed by her exposure to the inspirational leadership of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. As a child, she witnessed the daunting efforts and immeasurable hardships suffered by activists, known and unknown, who sought fairness for Black Americans who were facing tremendous obstacles to voting. The many powerful and emotional conversations with family and community surrounding the passing of the 1965 Voting Rights Acts made an indelible impression on her and still drives her commitment to ensuring open, fair, and equitable elections.
“We are so grateful and excited for Commissioner Brown to join the Board. She is a talented attorney and electoral board hearing officer with an extensive history working with Chicago’s communities and charitable organizations, and we know she will hit the ground running with her expertise in administration and passion for voting rights,” said Marisel Hernandez, Chairwoman, Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. “On a special note, this is also the first time in our history that the Board of Election Commissioners has a women- led majority.”
Commissioner Brown has presided over hearings in elections for both Chicago and Cook County Electoral Boards; worked at Election Central for federal, state, and local elections; and served as an appointed public member for electoral boards. She has served as a judge and mentor with International Law School Competitions, as the Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, as an appointed member of the Kogan Committee and the Public Affairs Committee with the Chicago Bar Association. She currently serves as a Co-Chair of Outreach for the ABA Dispute Resolutions Section.
“Commissioner Brown is the textbook definition of a good public servant who is committed to their community. She has been a professional expert and ally for decades, and we look forward to working with her as we head into the next four elections in Chicago in 2022 and 2023,” said Executive Director Charles Holiday, Jr.
Commissioner Brown is a graduate of UIC Law School (formerly John Marshall Law School) and the University of Southern California. She also completed studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.