John,
Today, The Sentencing Project released a new report, “Expanding the Vote: State Felony Disenfranchisement Reform,” which provides a state-by-state accounting of the changes to voting rights for people with felony convictions and measures its impact. It also features profiles of justice-impacted individuals across the country fighting to expand voting rights in their state.
Since 1997, 26 states and the District of Columbia have expanded voting rights to people living with felony convictions or amended policies to guarantee ballot access. As a result, over 2 million Americans have regained the right to vote since 1997. These reforms were achieved through various mechanisms, including legislative reform, executive action, and ballot measures. The reforms highlighted in the report include: - Restoration of voting rights to persons in prison in Washington, DC;
-
Expansion of voting rights to some or all persons on felony probation or parole in 12 states; and
- Increased accessibility for persons seeking rights restoration in 14 states.
Despite this momentum, over 4.6 million Americans with felony convictions were disenfranchised as of 2022, disproportionately impacting Black and Latinx communities. We must keep up the fight to ensure that every American - regardless of their history with the criminal legal system - has a say in our democracy. |
