Disgraced former state senator Hiram Monserrate is looking to return to politics.

He's running for Democratic District Leader in Corona and East Elmhurst, which is an unpaid volunteer position.

In 2012, Monserrate was sentenced to two years behind bars after pleading guilty to mail fraud.

Prosecutors say he diverted $100,000 in City Council grant funds to pay for an unsuccessful Senate campaign.

In a separate case, Monserrate was convicted of misdemeanor assault, which got him expelled from the State Senate.

He says he hopes voters give him a second chance.

"No one's perfect, we all make mistakes, we all make bad choices in life," Monserrate said. "It's the totality of someone's life that you should truly judge them on. We can't do too much about changing the past. The past in the the past, and we leave it behind us and we move forward. And I'm ready to do the hard work of representing and helping this community become a better place."

If elected, Monserrate says one of his top goals is to reduce the amount of trash in the area.

Voters head to the polls September 13.