Today, Project Vote is pleased to release the latest policy paper in our Issues in Election Administration series, Restoring Voting Rights for Former Felons.
The story of American democracy is often told as the steady expansion of voting rights, but history has not yet caught up with one group: people with past felony convictions. Policies on felon re-enfranchisement are inconsistent across the 50 states, creating widespread confusion among both former offenders and the officials charged with implementing the laws. The result is a network of misinformation that discourages some legally eligible voters from registering to vote, and places undue restrictions on others seeking reintegration into society.
In this updated policy paper, Project Vote Legislative Director Estelle Rogers looks at the relevant voting laws in all 50 states, discusses the arguments for felon re-enfranchisement, and makes recommendations for clear and uniform policies that benefit society as a whole.
Photo by Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights via Creative Commons.