Voting Rights Restoration

Ending Felony Disenfranchisement

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. Citizens with felony convictions are prohibited from voting, either permanently or temporarily, in all but two states.

Image: Daniel Lobo (CC 2.0)
Image: Daniel Lobo (CC 2.0)

This means that an estimated 5.8 million Americans are prevented from participating in American democracy. These are disproportionately Americans of color, from the very disenfranchised communities that most need to have a voice in the democratic process.

Fair and consistent felony re-enfranchisement laws can contribute to the rehabilitation process, reduce the harmful impact of disenfranchisement on low-income and minority communities, and foster a sense of community for those who feel disconnected and unfairly excluded from civic participation. Priority must be given to developing a nationwide policy that allows for reinstatement of voting rights, and educating former offenders regarding restoration procedures.

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Advocates Call on Maryland General Assembly to Restore the Vote for 40,000 People

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Last year, lawmakers, community organizations, and religious, civil rights, and racial justice leaders undertook an important effort to restore voting... Read more

New Project Vote Report Examines Voting Rights Proposals

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Since January, Project Vote has closely monitored 315 bills that could affect the way people vote in 2016 and beyond.... Read more

Mass. and Va. Adopt Beneficial Voting Policies This Week

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Massachusetts and Virginia adopted policies that would make voter registration and voting accessible to more citizens this week. Read more

Voter Empowerment Act would Improve Elections for Both Voters and Officials

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Today, the Voter Empowerment Act (VEA) was introduced in the House of Representatives. Estelle Rogers, legislative director for Project Vote,... Read more

Democracy Restoration Act Would Give Voting Rights Back to Millions in Federal Elections

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Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and several others introduced the Democracy Restoration Act to “restore voting rights in federal elections... Read more

Highlights of 2014

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Now that 2014 has come to a close, we’re looking back at what an eventful year it was! From our... Read more

What Kind of Year Has It Been for Election Laws?

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WASHINGTON, DC — With Americans heading to the polls in just four weeks, a new report from voting rights group... Read more

New Report on Restoring Voting Rights for Former Felons

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Today, Project Vote is pleased to release the latest policy paper in our Issues in Election Administration series, Restoring Voting... Read more

Put Felon Disenfranchisement on the Front Burner

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They tell us that there are no coincidences in life, and similarly, there are no coincidences in politics. On Tuesday,... Read more

Voter Suppression Laws Most Likely Pass Where Minority Turnout Is High, Says Report

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There may be a correlation between high minority voter turnout and the passage of restrictive voting laws, according to a... Read more