Pressley, Welch introduce legislation to guarantee right to vote for people with felonies on record
Category: News & Politics
Via: vic-eldred • last year • 15 commentsBy: Story by By MATT BROWN, Associated Press
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
W ASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats have introduced legislation that would allow people convicted of a felony to vote in federal elections, a proposal that if enacted could restore the voting rights of millions of people in U.S. elections.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont submitted the legislation, named the Inclusive Democracy Act, on Tuesday which would guarantee the right to vote in federal elections for all citizens regardless of their criminal record.
In a statement, Pressley said the legislation was necessary due to policies and court rulings that “continue to disenfranchise voters from all walks of life — including by gutting the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, cuts to early voting, and more.” Welch called the bill necessary due to “antiquated state felony disenfranchisement laws.”
In late 2022, approximately 4.6 million people were unable to vote due to a felony conviction, according to a study by the Sentencing Project , a nonpartisan research group. The same study found that Black and Hispanic citizens are disproportionately likely to be disenfranchised due to felony convictions.
"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,” Pressley said.
The legislation would also require incarcerated people to be educated on their voting rights and offered systems and resources for how to register to vote. The bill also requires means of vote by mail for incarcerated people.
States and territories currently determine a citizen’s voting eligibility for all levels of government. The proposed bill would not change states’ ability to expand or restrict access for state or local elections.
The legislation stands long odds of being passed by the Republican-controlled House. In 2021, all Republicans and a majority of Democrats voted against an amendment to Democrats’ then-flagship voting rights reform bill that would have permitted people with felony convictions to vote. The bill later passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
“As someone whose family has been personally impacted by mass incarceration, I know how important it is for people to maintain ties to their community, including by voting,” Pressley said.
Voting rights for formerly incarcerated people can vary dramatically by state. While in states like Vermont and Maine people convicted of a crime never lose their right to vote in elections, 11 states generally bar formerly incarcerated people from voting indefinitely, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures .
Welch said the bill is meant to help voters "who have been systemically robbed of their right to participate in our democratic process” and promised that the legislation was part of a broader push for greater voting rights, including through potential reforms to the Voting Rights Act and limits on gerrymandering. Democrats broadly agree on a need for greater voting rights reform but differ in what specific policies are needed.
“We are still in the Civil Rights movement and Jim Crow is not behind us when laws and courts continue to disenfranchise voters from all walks of life — including by gutting the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, cuts to early voting, and more,” Pressley said. “We must reject this unjust status quo and advance bold policies to strengthen our democracy and make it more inclusive.”
Matt Brown is a member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team.
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This is what the democrats feel is necessary to win: Giving criminals and children the right to vote.
A typical leftist liberal devised crock of bovine excrement no matter how one looks at it.
A tad over 1% of the population - and violation of the law, either state or Fed, is to be excused for them, eh?
Yep.
Not to mention the Illegal Aliens.
I have no problem with allowing most felons to regain their voting rights AFTER they have completed their sentences and are again free citizens. There are certain felonies that I would suggest should never regain the right to vote however, including murder, treason and similar type crimes.
But an incarcerated citizen is by law under restrictions to their civil rights and I do not believe that while incarcerated they should have the right to vote.
So, they want a new law that will allow Trump to vote for himself?
Have to look out for their Hamas supporters
Because in general, felons tend to be liberals kind of people.
Seriously though, I agree that something could be put together for folks to get some of their rights back after serving their time. Not automatic but some sort of logical process for lesser felonies.
Because in general, felons tend to be liberals kind of people.
Obviously, since if it were the other way around then it would be a conservative initiative. Each side caters to its own with disingenuous initiatives that tend to benefit their tribe, regardless of ethical undertones. There’s no difference between the two in this respect.