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{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = |
| name=Elga L. Jefferies
| image name=
| state_house=Illinois
| state=Illinois
| district=26th
| term_start=June 3, 2006
| term_end=January 14, 2009
| preceded=[[Lovana Jones]]
| succeeded=[[William D. Burns]]
| state_senate2=Illinois
| state2=Illinois
| district2=3rd
| term2= December 19, 2002 ― January 8, 2003
| predecessor2=[[Margaret Smith (Illinois politician)|Margaret Smith]]
| successor2=[[Mattie Hunter]]

| birth_date={{birth date and age|1946|07|10}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.freedomspeaks.com/official/25000/illinois-(il)-state-representative-elga-l-jefferies-%5Bil-house-of-representatives%5D |title=Official Profile: Illinois (IL) State Representative Elga L. Jefferies [IL House of Representatives] |access-date=2009-05-27 |archive-date=2011-07-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711030507/http://www.freedomspeaks.com/official/25000/illinois-(il)-state-representative-elga-l-jefferies-[il-house-of-representatives] |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_place=[[Chicago, Illinois]]
| death_date=
| death_place=
| spouse=
| profession=
| party=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|}}

'''Elga Lee Jefferies''' (born July 10, 1946) is an American politician who served as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] member of the [[Illinois House of Representatives]], representing the 26th District during the [[95th Illinois General Assembly]]. Jeffries' appointment came following the death of the former Representative, [[Lovana Jones|Lovana "Lou" Jones]]; she then proceeded to be elected to her position in November 2006, but was later defeated in the 2008 primary election, finishing third out of five candidates.

Margaret Smith resigned from the [[Illinois Senate]] on December 12, 2002. Jefferies was appointed to succeed her from December 19, 2002, until the winner of the November 2002 general election, [[Mattie Hunter]], was sworn in on January 8, 2003.<ref>{{cite web|editor-last=Miller|editor-first=David R.|title=African American Legislators in Illinois, 1876-2005 Table 4: African American Legislators in Leadership Positions in Illinois, 1876-2005|work=First Reading|volume=19|issue=3|page=21|publisher=Illinois General Assembly Legislative Research Unit|access-date=May 24, 2021|url=https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Table4.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|editor-last=Harry|editor-first=Jim|title=Senate Journal 92nd General Assembly 117th Legislative Day|date=January 6, 2003|publisher=[[Illinois Senate]]|pages=4–6|access-date=May 24, 2021|url=https://ilga.gov/senate/journals/sfinaljrnls92/pdf/sjf92117_r.pdf}}</ref>

On June 3, 2006, Jefferies was appointed to succeed the late [[Lovana Jones]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ilga.gov/House/journals/94/2006/HJ094129R.pdf|page=6|title=House Journal – House of Representatives – Ninety-Fourth Annual General Assembly 129TH Legislative Day|date=November 1, 2006|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> Her agenda during her tenure in the House focused on physical and mental healthcare, affordable housing, and providing access to education for [[High school dropouts in the United States|adults who did not complete high school]].

Jefferies has been involved in community activities since her young adult years, working with organizations such as the Palmer House for Boys, the Near North Organization, Operation P.U.S.H., the Task Force for Black Empowerment, the National Democratic Organization, and the Bronzeville Merchants Association, serving as Deputy Mayor of Bronzeville. She is a member of the [[Illinois Legislative Black Caucus]].

Jefferies voted "present" in the [[Impeachment by state and territorial governments of the United States|impeachment]] of [[Governor of Illinois|Governor]] [[Rod Blagojevich]] on January 9, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-01-07|title=Illinois House impeaches Gov. Rod Blagojevich|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28539642|access-date=2022-02-22|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-01-09|title=Blago Impeached|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/blago-impeached/1880433/|access-date=2022-02-22|website=NBC4 Washington|language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
* Steponenaite, Gabija, "Jefferies ready for full term", ''[[The Gazette (Chicago)]],'' Nov. 3, 2006.

==External links==
*[http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?MemberID=1315 Illinois General Assembly - Representative Elga L. Jefferies (D) 26th District] '''official IL House website'''
**[http://www.ilga.gov/house/RepBills.asp?MemberID=1315 Bills] [http://ilga.gov/house/RepCommittees.asp?MemberID=1315 Committees]
*[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=67744 Project Vote Smart - Senator Elga L. Jefferies (IL)] profile
*''Follow the Money'' - Elga L Jefferies
**[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200614&c=433627 2006] campaign contributions
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060928192731/http://www.housedem.state.il.us/members/jefferiese/index.htm Illinois House Democrats - Elga L. Jefferies] profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferies, Elga L.}}
[[Category:Members of the Illinois House of Representatives]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African-American state legislators in Illinois]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chicago]]
[[Category:Women state legislators in Illinois]]
[[Category:21st-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly]]

{{Illinois-Ilrepresentative-stub}}

Elga L. Jefferies - Revision history

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