I Have A Felony conviction — Can I Vote?

  • By Ricki Fairley, Dove Marketing - The Cincinnati Herald and The Dayton Defender
  • October 26, 2018

Many people wonder, "Can a convicted felon vote?" and assume the laws have restricted their rights. But that's not true. While many states have some restriction on felon voting rights, most states restore the right to vote to people after they complete their sentences.

In fact, up to 17 million Americans with past convictions can vote right now – they just don't know it – because the felony disenfranchisement laws in every state can be confusing.

RestoreYourVote.org is a website that was developed by Campaign Legal Center, an organization of attorneys working in Washington, D.C. seeking to ensure that every eligible voter has access to the ballot. Learn more about the Center and their work to protect the right to vote at CampaignLegal.org.

CLC is working in partnership on this project with the Democracy Initiative Education Fund, a network of 69 civil rights, environmental, labor and civic organizations formed to restore the core principles of democracy and political equality. They have researched the laws in every state to help people understand their voting rights by state.

Though they don't offer legal services or legal advice and can't guarantee that voting rights will be restored (that power rests with state authorities), RestoreYourVote.org provides the best information available to make rights restoration accessible for citizens with felony convictions.

Processes can be complicated and unclear in some states.

With the help of RestoreYourVote.org, individuals will no longer have to wonder whether they have the right to vote and will no longer have to ask, "Can I restore my right to vote?" Using this website is completely anonymous.

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