Approximately 4.6 million people are denied voting rights in federal elections due to criminal convictions.

I know intimately the destabilizing effect mass incarceration has on families.

My Dad, Martin, is a retired college professor and published author. For decades the world was robbed of his brilliance due to the disease of addiction, and I was robbed of his presence due to a legal system that criminalized his disease.

He was treated as disposable, and his experience is no anomaly in our country. Our neighbors behind the wall are told that they do not matter. That their voices do not matter. That their contributions to society do not matter. And approximately 4.6 million American citizens — disproportionately Black folks — are denied voting rights in federal elections due to criminal convictions.

The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights we have as American citizens. And this sacred, basic right to vote belongs to all of us. It belongs to the person who fell ill to the opioid crisis, who instead of receiving medical help, was sent to prison only to return home unable to fully participate in our society.

It belongs to the incarcerated mother who has arbitrarily been stripped of access to the ballot box and therefore has no say in her child’s future.

And it belongs to the millions in America who are caught in a criminal-legal system that is fundamentally unjust.

I’m proud to introduce the Inclusive Democracy Act alongside Senator Peter Welch — a historic, first-of-its-kind bill to end felony disenfranchisement and guarantee the right to vote for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens.

If you agree that everyone in America — including those with felony convictions — should be able to make their voices heard at the ballot box, add your name to become a grassroots co-sponsor of this important legislation.

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I’ve seen firsthand the effects of criminal and racial injustice and the trauma they cause for families and entire communities. The Inclusive Democracy Act would re-enfranchise millions of people who have been stripped of their right to vote. Here are just a few ways our bill would make progress:

• Require state and federal entities to notify individuals who are convicted, incarcerated, on probation, or on parole of their right to vote in federal elections.
• Outline the process for people in carceral settings to register to vote by mail, if registration is required by their state.
• Outline the process for people in carceral settings to vote by mail, including protecting and prioritizing election mail, curing ballots with mistakes, and casting a provisional ballot.
• Ensure citizens in carceral settings have access to information about elections through mechanisms available to them, such as the internet, campaigns, and third party groups.

With Republicans and the Supreme Court stopping at nothing to undermine voting rights and exclude Black and brown folks from participating in our democracy, we must protect and expand access to the ballot box — including for incarcerated citizens.

This bill is a critical step forward to undo the legislated hurt and harm facing our communities.

And it’s a critical step towards building a more inclusive democracy where all people can make their voices heard.

It’s past time we guarantee the right to vote for incarcerated citizens. If you agree, become a co-sponsor of this critical legislation today.

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Yours in service,

Ayanna