Felony Voting Rights

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Felony Voting Rights
Kimberly Brown Highline Community College,
Library 160 Fall Quarter 2004
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An estimated 4.6 million Americans- 1 in 50
adults are barred from voting because of a
felony conviction. 1.6 million of those barred
from voting are people with felony convictions
who have completed their sentences.
Incarceration rates for U.S., click hyperlink to
see state by state prison growth
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African-American and Latino communities are
disproportionately affected by the
disenfranchisement of criminal offenders13 of
African-American men are barred from voting.
(click hyperlink to see more stats)
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In seven states, more than one in four
African-American men are permanently
disenfranchised from voting Washington,
Tennessee, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi,
and Virginia.
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Restoring the right to vote helps reintegrate
ex-offenders into society. When voter
participation is increased, democracy is
strengthened
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The United States is the only democracy in the
world that disenfranchises offenders who have
completed their sentences.
One Million Black Votes Did Not Count in the 2000
Election click hyperlink
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States are moving to restore the right to vote to
many citizens with felony convictions. States
where ex-felons can vote AK, AR, GA, KS, MN, MN,
MO, NE, NJ, NM, NC, OK, RI, SC,TX, WV, WI, ME,
VT, HI, ID, IL, IN, LA, MA, MI, MT, NH, ND, OH,
OR, PA, SD, UT, CA, CO, CT, NY States where
ex-felons cannot vote WA, FL, IA, KY, MS, VA,TN,
AZ, MD, AL, DE, NV,WY
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Bibliography

• State Action Issues Voting Rights Restoration
  Overview, www.cfp.org/issues/governance/votingrigh
  ts/
• Felons and the Right to Vote (Gotham Gazette.
  Feb. 17, 2003) www.gothamgazette.com/article/
• Debt to Society, http//www.motherjones.com/new
  s/special_reports/prisons/atlas.html
• The End Thank You