Last-minute Registration Efforts

Across the nation, advocates in many states have been working feverishly to educate individuals with felony convictions about their right to vote and assist them in registering. As many states' registration deadlines approach this week, national, local and grassroots efforts have registered scores of individuals who were unaware of their voting rights status.

Georgia
Texas
Ohio
Illinois
New Jersey
Kentucky (Courier Journal)
Kentucky (Herald-Leader)

Inmate Voting

Numerous jails and prisons across the U.S. were filled with voter registration applications and absentee ballots as various local campaigns promoting voting for persons in prison, where legal, neared a close. Organization volunteers visited jail and prison facilities to distribute registration applications and absentee ballots to individuals awaiting trail or otherwise eligible to vote.

Massachusetts
Louisiana
Georgia

Alabama: Registration Suit Ensues

The U.S. District Court has been brought in to decide whether Alabama can prohibit inmate voter registration efforts by visitors. Alabama law permits those incarcerated and formerly incarcerated to vote unless they were convicted of a crime of "moral turpitude," according to Ballot Access, but the definition of moral turpitude remains unclear. The governor's office reports that 480 of the state's 575 felony crimes are crimes of moral turpitude, according to the Birmingham News, which include murder, robbery, rape, and certain other offenses. In the wake of Corrections Commissioner Richard Allen terminating a voter registration drive in the state prison that had aimed at assisting people who had not been convicted of a disenfranchising crime, the issue has once again taken center-stage in Alabama. The state's Administrative Office of the Courts, which argues that only 70 state crimes should result in the loss of voting rights, claims thousands of people convicted of crimes are illegally being kept from casting ballots, the Huntsville Times reported. For more coverage, read editorials from the Tuscaloosa News and the Huntsville Times.

National: The Sentencing Project, ACLU, Brennan Center for Justice Publish Disenfranchisement Reports

The Sentencing Project released a report that found that since 1997, 19 states have amended felony disenfranchisement policies in an effort to reduce their restrictiveness and expand voter eligibility. The report, Expanding the Vote: State Felony Disenfranchisement Reform, 1997- 2008, documents a reform movement over the past eleven years that has resulted in more than 760,000 citizens having regained their right to vote. The report's release coincides with the introduction of new legislation in Congress to secure federal voting rights for nonincarcerated citizens. Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Brennan Center for Justice released a joint report, De Facto Disenfranchisement, which documents that felony disenfranchisement laws are only half the story: untold hundreds of thousands of eligible voters are discouraged from registering and voting because they receive incorrect or misleading information - or no information at all - from elections and criminal justice officials and voter registration forms. The ACLU also released Voting with a Criminal Record, which reports on the variety and complexity of various states' disfranchisement policies that have effectively barred countless eligible Americans from the ballot box.

The New York Times featured a blog posted by editorial staff writer, Brent Staples, on the three recently released reports that stated: "We tend to shun people who commit crimes - not just while they do time, but quite often for the rest of their lives. We bar them from housing, jobs, and yes, we strip them of the right to vote. Through these policies, we have created a large and growing felon class that is permanently cut off from the mainstream and stuck on a treadmill that often leads right back to the prison door. Rules that bar former inmates from the polls are excessively punitive, socially alienating and inconsistent with the core principles of American democracy."

National: Federal Voting Rights Legislation Introduced

Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced SB 3640 Friday, a bill that would secure the Federal voting rights of persons who have been released from incarceration. Sen. Feingold stated the following with the bill's introduction: "Mr. President, in a democracy, no right is more important than the right to vote; in our democracy, no right has been so dearly won. This country was founded on the idea that a just government derives its power from the consent of the governed, a principle codified in the very first words of our Constitution: 'We the People of the United States.'' From the Civil War through the women's suffrage movement through the Voting Rights Act of 1965 through the 26th Amendment, the continuing expansion of the franchise, a broadening of who 'we the people' are, is one of our great American stories. So today I will introduce the Democracy Restoration Act of 2008. This bill will guarantee that citizens who are not incarcerated have the right to vote in Federal elections.

National: Reader's Digest 'Rocks the Vote'

Reader's Digest featured an article headlined "Jailhouse Rock (the Vote)" which stated the need to release disenfranchisement laws in an effort to reintegrate individuals back into society. "That reasoning goes like this: After paying their 'debt to society,' in the old parlance, government's goal for these individuals-unless we want to see them back behind bars-should be nothing less than having them take their places in the fabric of American life. This entails reconnecting with their families, securing gainful employment, and becoming productive members in the social lives of their community and their nation. In the United States, implicit in this social contract is the right to vote."

Illinois: For the Record, They Can Vote

Following a training session for election judges that prompted eligibility questions, Journal-Star columnist Pam Adams makes an effort to clear any confusion about vote restoration laws in Illinois. She writes, "[o]nce more, for the record, the forgetful, the unknowledgeable and the ethically impaired, convicted felons can vote in Illinois. Banning felons from voting serves little purpose, especially after they've completed the sentence. They are still citizens."

New Jersey: Voting is a Must

State Senator Ronald L. Rice writes about confusion among many residents regarding New Jersey's disenfranchisement laws and underscores the importance of educating formerly incarcerated individuals in the Record. "[T]oday, too many people do not understand or exercise their voting rights, and as a result, entire segments of our population - and especially formerly incarcerated individuals - are being underrepresented at the polls on Election Day." He noted the significance of voting as part of the reintegration process for people who have been incarcerated and may feel alienated from the communities to which they return. "Voting is extremely important because it provides citizens with opportunities to make a differences in their own lives. Individuals can influence government decision-making through voting. The act of voting is the single greatest thing individual cans do to take part in government and in public discussion of important policy decisions."

Oklahoma: Confusing Law Keeps Individuals Away from Polls

"These unfortunate misinterpretations on a county-by-county basis, this just has to stop. We can't afford to disenfranchise people," ACLU of Oklahoma Legal Director C.S. Thornton was quoted as saying in the Tahlequah Daily Press. The ACLU of Oklahoma stated that individuals with felony convictions in one county were unable to register because both the applicant and the election board are unclear about the state's laws. The article explains: "A person convicted of a felony may not register to vote for a period of time equal to the time prescribed in the judgment and sentence of the felony. In other words, someone sentenced to a five-year, suspended sentence may not register for the five years spent serving that sentence. Someone convicted of a felony and sentenced to 10 years, but paroled after serving only three, still may not register for those 10 years originally sentenced. Those who have been convicted of a felony, but who have received a deferred sentence, may register to vote, as long as they are otherwise qualified. Those who have received a full pardon - restoring them to full citizenship - may also register to vote."

Maryland: State Attorney Agrees with Year-old Reenfranchisement Law

Sentinel columnist Mike Sarzo agrees with Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey that voting rights should be restored to individuals with felony convictions. "Giving people a second chance is a bedrock principle of American society," Sarzo stated. "Allowing people to fully integrate back into the community after serving their sentences is an important way of letting people know they still have rights when they leave prison." Ivey expressed his support at a recent voting rights forum. In 2007, Maryland passed a law restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals who have completed their sentence.

Virginia: Governor Believes in Vote Restoration

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has restored voting rights to nearly 1,500 individuals with a felony conviction this year, the Washington Times reported. Virginia, which is one of only two states that permanently disenfranchises all persons with a felony conviction, has a process by which interested parties can apply to the governor's office to have their voting rights restored. Gov. Kaine expedited the review process for petitioners with non-violent criminal records this summer, promising that all eligible persons who had submitted a restoration application by August 1st would be processed in time to register for this November's presidential election.

Florida: State Fails to Restore Rights Accurately

Of the 115,000 individuals with felony offenses who regained their civil rights since clemency rules were changed last year, only 9,000 have registered, according to a Tallahassee Democrat op-ed. Failures in notification efforts and appropriate follow up are to blame, Mark Schlakman states. He argues that recent efforts by Governor Charlie Crist to address the backlog are insufficient and, in order to implement sustainable reform, the state should readopt a 1975 clemency rule that made restoration virtually automatic, rather than relying on a cumbersome three-tier system.

- - - - - -

Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today.

Contact Information -- e-mail: zjennings@sentencingproject.org, web: http://www.sentencingproject.org

For Immediate Release: October 1, 2008
Contact: Jasmine Tyler 202-294-8292

Legislation Introduced to Restore Voting Rights for People Who Have Finished Prison Sentence

Millions of Voters Could Reclaim Voting Rights

Drug Policy Alliance: Drug War the New Jim Crow; Felony Reinfranchisment the New Civil Rights Movement

Federal legislation was introduced this week that would permit individuals who have been previously convicted of a crime, have completed their prison term and are living in the community the right to vote in federal elections. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2008 (DRA, S. 6340, H.R. 7136) was introduced in both chambers of Congress by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI).

The U.S. currently denies 5.3 million, or one in 41, citizens the right to vote due to felony convictions and is the only democracy that disenfranchises citizens who have completed their prison sentence. The DRA restores voting rights to individuals who have returned from prison or were never sentenced to a prison term. Because periods of supervised release, probation or parole can last decades and is part of a person’s sentence, reinfranchising individuals after completing their sentence would not ensure the same access to the ballot box as this measure does by giving voting rights back to people already living in our communities. This bill would also instruct officials in each state to notify individuals of their restored right to ensure access to the ballot.

Nineteen states, including Maryland, Texas and Florida, have reformed felony disenfranchisement laws over the last decade, increasing voter participation through bipartisan reform efforts. These reform efforts have set the stage for Congress to act and, although there is little time to enact this legislation this year, it lays the groundwork for restoration in the near future.

“Once passed, this bill will mean that people who are living in society and paying taxes will no longer be second class citizens,” said Jasmine L. Tyler, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “Regaining the right to vote after prison means formerly incarcerated individuals will have every opportunity to be civically engaged and influence the political process as everyday Americans.”

No group has been harder hit by disenfranchisement than African Americans. After gaining the right to vote in 1965, and overcoming the history of slavery and racism that overshadowed our country’s early history, African Americans suffered a new form of Jim Crow under the guise of the modern-day war on drugs. Thirteen percent of African-American men have been denied the right to vote because of felony conviction, the majority of these convictions stem from drug law enforcement. Although drug use rates are similar for both African Americans and whites, African Americans make up more than half of those convicted of felony drug charges. Upon introduction of the DRA, Sen. Feingold, addressing the President, said “…the practice of disenfranchising people with felony convictions has an explicitly racist history. Like the grandfather clause, the literacy test, and the poll tax, civil death became a tool of Jim Crow.”

“Unjust policing practices, misuse of prosecutorial power, and lack of judicial discretion all converge to create the judicial system that African Americans experience, namely injustice, and it has led us to the newest installment of racialized community suppression: the war on drugs,” Tyler said. “At least in federal elections, this legislation will change that.”

Friends:

The Sentencing Project today released a report, Expanding the Vote: State Felony Disenfranchisement Reform, 1997- 2008, that documents a reform movement over the past eleven years that has resulted in more than 760,000 citizens having regained their right to vote. The report found that since 1997, 19 states have amended felony disenfranchisement policies in an effort to reduce their restrictiveness and expand voter eligibility. The report's release coincides with the introduction of new legislation in Congress to secure federal voting rights for nonincarcerated citizens.

The report finds:  

• Nine states either repealed or amended lifetime disenfranchisement laws.
• Two states expanded voting rights to persons under community supervision (probation and parole).
• Five states eased the restoration process for persons seeking to have their right to vote restored after completing sentence.
• Three states improved data and information sharing.

The report documents the rates of disenfranchisement and the racially disparate impact of felony disenfranchisement policy in the 19 states that have enacted reforms.  It also highlights the profound personal impact that this policy has had on those who have regained their voting rights, or continue to be disenfranchised. 

Recent state reforms include:

• Maryland repealed its post-sentence voting ban in 2007, restoring the right to vote to 52,000 residents.
• Florida eased the complexity of its restoration process for persons who have completed a sentence for a non-violent offense.
• Governors in Kentucky and Virginia expressed support for voting rights for persons who completed sentence by easing the restoration process and expediting restoration applications, respectively.
• North Carolina and Louisiana passed notification bills mandating that the state notify individuals of the law regarding voting rights and the process of registration.

Despite these reforms, an estimated 5 million people will continue to be ineligible to vote in November's Presidential election, including nearly 4 million who reside in the 35 states that still prohibit some combination of persons on probation, parole, and/or people who have completed their sentence from voting. In response to this fact, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) plans to introduce the Democracy Restoration Act and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) plans to introduce the Civic Participation and Rehabilitation Act this week to restore federal voting rights to all citizens released from prison and living in the community.
                                                         -The Sentencing Project

Alabama: Inmate Voter Registration Efforts Halted

Under pressure from the Alabama Republican Party, the efforts led by Rev. Kenneth Glasgow to register inmates so they could cast absentee ballots have been halted, the Associated Press reported. An email from State Rep. Mike Hubbard, chairman of the Republican party, told Corrections Commissioner Richard Allen that the party supports the idea of registering people to vote, but not those who are incarcerated. The letter was received after the Associated Press and other media highlighted Glasgow's success in registering 80 inmates in two days with goals to register "hundreds more" before the deadline. "I think they're more worried about me being a Democrat than anything," said Glasgow. "The chairman of the Republican Party and the chairman of the Democratic Party can go in there with me and monitor it to make sure it's nonpartisan."

Alabama law prohibits felons convicted of "crimes of moral turpitude" from voting unless they have had their rights restored. Though the Constitution does not define a crime of moral turpitude, court opinions have recently said they include murder, robbery, rape, and certain other offenses.

"A clear legal definition would not stop the debate, but it would at least clear up a few gray areas," a Clanton Advertiser editorial stated. Another editorial published in the Anniston Star in support of vote restoration stated, "It only makes sense for states to implement programs that will help released felons become productive, lawful residents who steer clear of the very activities that put them behind bars in the first place." A Times Daily editorial on the issue opposed Glasgow's efforts to register inmates. "Time in prison means a loss of personal freedoms and all but the basic right to humane treatment. Allowing inmates to vote is simply anathema to serving time for committing a crime. But allowing felons to vote inside prison walls contradicts the very nature of being punished for a crime." For more coverage, see the Montgomery Advertiser and CBS42.

National: Disenfranchisement Gets National Attention, Gains Momentum

Several states are successfully making moves to restore voting rights to individuals with felony records, with the backing of policy makers, state officials and grassroots advocates, according to a New York Times news feature. The article cited the line between bipartisan registration efforts and campaign tactics in gaining votes, in addition to the varying and confusing disenfranchisement laws of each state. Reggie Mitchell, a former voter-registration worker for People for the American Way stated, "You're talking about incredible numbers of people out there who now may have had their right to vote restored and don't even know it. In Florida, "we're talking tens of thousands of people. And in the 2000 election, in the state of Florida, 300 people made the difference."

Mississippi: Lawsuit Demands Right to Vote

The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Mississippi filed a federal lawsuit last week challenging the state's denial of voting rights to citizens with felony convictions. The Mississippi Constitution allows individuals with felony offenses to vote for president and vice president, but "election administrators are denying that right in practice," the Hudson Valley Press reported. The suit asks that citizens with felony records be allowed to register to vote by the October deadline. "With the presidential election less than two months away, Mississippi is denying thousands of citizens their fundamental right to vote," said Nancy Abudu, staff counsel with the ACLU Voting Rights Project. "By refusing to allow eligible citizens to register and vote for the highest offices in the land, Mississippi election officials are undermining the integrity of the state's election system and degrading our country's democratic principles. We will not sit back and let election supervisors continue to violate state and federal law."

According to Mississippi's constitution, people with certain felony convictions are allowed to vote for president and vice president, but not for other political offices. But because the state's voter registration application does not allow all prospective voters to register for presidential and vice presidential elections only, many voters are wrongly disqualified. The ACLU is representing Jerry Young and Christy Colley, two Mississippi residents who have been convicted of felonies in the past and cannot vote due to the flawed administration of the state's election laws.

Kristy Bennett, one of the ACLU staff attorneys wrote a commentary on the suit in the Jackson Free Press. "It is obvious that the framers of our state Constitution recognized the importance of allowing all citizens to vote for the leaders of this country, and we must continue to fight for this fundamental right today," she wrote. "Mississippi election officials are undermining the integrity of the state's election system and degrading our country's democratic principles. By filing the lawsuit, we hope that all Mississippians with felony convictions will have the opportunity to register to vote." For additional coverage, see WLBT3.

South Carolina: Elections Officials in Need of More Training

Local election officials didn't make the grade on a voting restoration survey put out by the American Civil Liberties Union, WYFF reported. The officials didn't know all the details about when individuals with felony offenses regain their right to vote in South Carolina. The ACLU and South Carolina Progressive Network released the results of their statewide survey and called for changes in state voting laws, more education and notification of vote restoration. Currently, state law allows individuals to vote once they have served their sentence, including probation and parole. Survey questions included whether people with misdemeanor convictions and those with out-of-state felony convictions could vote; 48 percent of officials state-wide answered incorrectly, according to a State article titled, "Ex-felons voting rights' questions fool officials."

"The history in South Carolina is preventing people from voting, and we're still living that history," said Brett Bursey, director of the South Carolina Progressive Network. "The people on the streets don't understand (the rules), and if they go to their election commission, they're going to get this kind of wrong information." Survey questions were asked of whoever answered the phone at the election commissions, to simulate the experience of regular callers, said Rachel Bloom of the ACLU. For more coverage, see The Post Courier

Oklahoma: Election Board Passing on Faulty Information, ACLU Survey Documents

An ACLU survey of election boards in Oklahoma's 77 counties found that 17 counties provided erroneous information on the state's re-enfranchisement policies. One county said a convicted felon was never eligible to vote again, the Associated Press reported. In actuality, individuals with felony convictions may vote once they have completed their sentence. State Rep. Mike Shelton of Oklahoma City plans to file a notification bill requiring the state to inform those of their rights upon release.

Tennessee: Excitement About Election, Elections Officials See Registration Increase

The Tennessee Coordinator of Elections reported a significant increase in the number of individuals with felony records seeking to have their rights restored, according to the Tri-State Defender. The process for Clifton Ingram included completing a Certificate of Restoration form at a County Election Commission, taking it to the Probation and Parole office to get required signatures and returning it to the Election Commission for verification. "I did what they told me to do," said Ingram, who had been putting off the vote restoration process after receiving probation for a nonviolent offense in 2006. In the past, vote restoration required a lawyer and going to court if one was sentenced before Jan. 15, 1973 or after May 18, 1981. (Individuals convicted of a felony between Jan. 15, 1973 and May 17, 1981 never lost their voting rights in Tennessee.) Today, however, individuals must also be current in child support obligations.

Florida: Statewide Ad Campaign Targets Individuals with Felony Offenses

''Our nation's future is at stake. Your voice shouldn't be silenced by your past,' states campaign ads pushed by the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. The organizations launched a voter registration campaign this week targeting individuals with felony convictions whose rights have been restored. The ads are displayed in minority communities across the state in English and Spanish, the Miami Herald reported. According to CBS4, the groups have also published an online database displaying the civil rights status of those with felony convictions at www.restorerights.org. Smaller, grassroots efforts are also helping eligible individuals register to vote before the Oct. 6 deadline, including the Marion County Voters Registration Coalition which is holding a workshop Saturday. Volunteers will also be on hand to help fill out paperwork and find out what requirements must be satisfied before individuals register to vote, according to the Star Banner.

"People around the country have the mistaken impression that Florida's felon disfranchisement crisis has been adequately addressed by Governor [Charlie] Crist; sadly this is not true," Howard Simon, Executive Director, ACLU of Florida, was quoted as saying about the the governor's recent restoration efforts in the Foster Folly News. "The State had no real program to notify people of their eligibility and consequently few have registered to vote. That is why we have had to step in and launch a program that should have been conducted by Florida officials last year."

Virginia: Increase in Vote Restoration

According to the Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has restored rights for 2,305 individuals with non-violent offenses from the time he took office on Jan. 1, 2006, through the end of last month, the Daily Press reported. That is more than a 32 percent increase from the 1,736 nonviolent felons who had their rights restored from Jan. 1, 2002, through Aug. 31, 2004, leading up to the 2004 presidential race, the secretary said. The increase is attributed to the numerous organizations and churches that have taken to residents' homes and educated citizens with felony convictions about the pardon process in an effort to regain their right to vote. In Virginia, a nonviolent offender must wait three years after the expiration of his or her probation before applying to have rights restored. Those charged with a violent offense must wait five years. All fines and court restitution must also be paid.

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Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today.

Contact Information -- e-mail: zjennings@sentencingproject.org, web: http://www.sentencingproject.org

Election 2008

Dear friends,

On Election Day, people across the country will miss out on casting a ballot because they don't even know they're eligible to vote. Right now in Alabama, we're working to repair the democratic process with a groundbreaking voter registration project being conducted in partnership with The Ordinary People's Society (TOPS), an Alabama organization.

The Alabama Constitution protects the right to vote for people convicted of nonviolent, low-level drug crimes but most of the 70,000 people in the Alabama criminal justice system who fall into this category have never been told they can vote. Even when they do know they're eligible, they have no easy access to the ballot box -- and as many as 10,000 eligible voters are currently incarcerated in Alabama's overcrowded prisons.

TOPS is going into prisons to register voters this fall, working to remedy this egregious example of how the war on drugs undermines our democracy. But Alabama is just one example among many.
 
More than five million people nationwide are disfranchised for all kinds of offenses, with nonviolent drug convictions making up a significant portion of that group. In some states, anyone with a felony conviction is barred from ever voting again -- even once their debt to society is fully paid. In many other states, the process of restoring your right to vote after a felony conviction is so wrapped in red tape that even the most determined would-be voter gets stuck.

Not only that, but widespread misconceptions keep eligible potential voters from ever even trying to register. For example, in New York state, a survey conducted by a voting rights organization found that many county registrars in New York believed that people who had been arrested -- not convicted, just arrested -- could not vote. Among arrestees themselves, an even greater percentage believed the same thing!

The historic work DPA and TOPS are doing in Alabama paves the way to address larger questions about the intersection between voting rights and the criminal justice system. One of these questions takes on particular relevance given the close results of recent elections: Nationally, how many potential votes are lost because of draconian penalties for nonviolent drug offenses?

As we begin this conversation nationwide, I am excited to be part of our Alabama effort in advance of a presidential election that is projected to have very high voter turnout. We have a long way to go to restore democracy to our criminal justice system but I am proud that Alabamians who didn't even know they could vote will be part of the large numbers of Americans who cast a ballot this Election Day. You can join us by supporting this historic work with a donation to DPA Network.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Sayegh
Director, State Organizing and Policy Project
Drug Policy Alliance Network

Press Advisory Contact: Rev. Ken Glasgow at 334-791-2433 or Gabriel Sayegh at 646-335-2264

September 12, 2008

Advocates Launch Historic Drive to Register Eligible Alabama Voters, Including Those Convicted of Felony Drug Possession

Families, Formerly Incarcerated People, Religious Leaders, Treatment and Sentencing Experts Declare: Don't Criminalize People with Drug Problems, Provide Treatment and Restoration

Voter Drive to Include Town Hall Events In Five Cities Across Alabama: "Voter Disfranchisement and The War On Drugs: What's Civil Right's Got to Do With It?"

In Alabama, nearly 250,000 people have been stripped their voting rights due to a felony conviction. But in a 2006 court ruling in Alabama, a judge found that only those persons convicted of felonies of "moral turpitude" lose their right to vote. The judge found that certain felonies—such as drug possession—do not constitute crimes of moral turpitude, and therefore individuals convicted of those crimes do not lose their right to vote, even during incarceration.

Alabama-based The Ordinary People's Society and their national partner the Drug Policy Alliance estimate that over 50,000 people convicted of non-moral turpitude felonies in Alabama have been wrongly denied their right to vote, or believe they do not have that right due to a conviction. An additional 6 – 7,000 more people currently incarcerated in Alabama state prisons may also be eligible to vote.

Join Dothan-based The Ordinary People's Society and their national partner the Drug Policy Alliance on their statewide tour to discuss Alabama's drug war and its impact on democracy.

What: "Voter Disfranchisement and the War On Drugs: What's Civil Right's Got to Do With It?"

When: 9/15 – 9/19. Each event begins at 6 p.m .

Where:
9/15 in Huntsville
9/16 in Birmingham
9/17 in Mobile
9/18 in Dothan
9/19 in Montgomery

Each event begins at 6 p.m. Call for event locations.

Who:
Rev. Kenneth Glasgow, Founder and Executive Director, The Ordinary People's Society (TOPS) (Dothan, AL)
Daris Johnson, Director, TOPS Young People's Project (Enterprise, AL)
Gabriel Sayegh, Director, Organizing and Policy Project, Drug Policy Alliance (New York, NY)

Alabama is facing a crisis. The state has the 6th highest rate of incarceration in the U.S. A prison system designed for 12,500 people now holds nearly 30,000.

As a result of the drug war, non-violent drug offenses make up approximately 30% of all felony convictions in Alabama, and people convicted of non-violent drug and property offenses comprise nearly half of the state's prison population.

Nearly 50% of prisoners are serving prison time for a drug related crime. And over 250,000 people are barred from voting due to felony disfranchisement laws.

A recent court ruling, however, found that people convicted of drug possession, among other offenses, do not lose their right to vote.

This change could have an impact on nearly 70,000 Alabamians, including nearly 10,000 currently incarcerated in state prisons.

While drug use is equal across all racial groups, Black people are incarcerated for drug crimes at higher rates than whites. Blacks make up only 26% of Alabama's population, but are nearly 60% of the prison population.

And nearly every For every white person in an Alabama jail, there are about 4 Black people.

Alabama is spending millions to incarcerated people when treatment is more effective and far cheaper.

The average cost to keep a person in prison in Alabama is almost $13,000 per year. The average cost of a full treatment program per client is approximately $4,300.

Over time, the savings from treatment are significant: Studies by the RAND Corporation have show that every additional dollar invested in substance abuse treatment saves taxpayers $7.46 in societal costs.

"We've got to start restoring people's lives, by providing treatment, by restoring the right to vote," said Reverend Kenneth Glasgow, Executive Director of The Ordinary People's Society and state coordinator of the New Bottom Line Campaign. "When a person get's a felony conviction, they can lose more than their voting rights, they can lose public assistance, public housing, financial aid for school. The drug war became a war on people and we spend more on incarceration than on treatment. Why do we spend more on producing criminals than producing citizens? We need a new bottom line."

In 2005, according to the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, the substance abuse statistics for the state of Alabama stated:

Alcohol
• 246,000 people had alcohol dependency
• Total admissions for alcohol rehabilitation and treatment was 2,427
• Less than 1% (actually.009%) of Alabamians received treatment for alcohol

Other Drug Abuse
• 113,000 people had drug dependency other than alcohol
• Total admissions for drug rehabilitation and treatment was 12,645
• 11% of those needing treatment were provided with treatment

New York: Voting Rights Education Hits the Road

The New York Civil Liberties Union this week launched a six-week campaign to educate county election boards and formerly incarcerated individuals on voting rights for those with felony offenses. New York City and Buffalo trains and buses have donned print ads which state: "You have the right to vote ... even if you have a criminal record."

Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union said, "There is a mistaken belief that those with criminal records permanently lose their right to vote. As a result, thousands of New Yorkers are either unnecessarily forfeiting their rights or being unlawfully denied their right to vote." State law bans those incarcerated and on parole from voting, but individuals can vote while on probation.

The organization is also active in supporting a bill that would require the state to notify former inmates of their voting status. The bill would provide eligible voters assistance with registration and absentee ballots. It would also require the state Department of Correctional Services to share data with the state Board of Elections to prevent eligible voters with felony convictions from being turned away at voting booths, according to the Press & Sun Bulletin.

North Carolina: Campaigning off the Beaten Path

Democratic Party campaign supporters have taken to jails to educate inmates on their right to vote, the Durham Herald Sun reported. One delegate went to Durham County Jail in an effort to let inmates with misdemeanors know that they could still register and vote by absentee ballot. The city's mayor, Bill Bell, stated he'd follow through on a request to ask the Durham County Sheriff to ensure inmates could register and send in absentee ballots. Individuals with felony offenses in North Carolina are banned from voting until they've completed their sentence.

Nevada: Automatically Eligible, but You Have to Know the Rules

Individuals with felony convictions in Nevada have been subject to varying restoration procedures over time, according to Public News Service. The problem is that many individuals don't realize that there are mechanisms by which they can be eligible to vote. Under a 2003 state law, individuals who have completed their sentence for a first-time, non-violent offense are eligible to register to vote. "We're really hoping that we'll get a lot of people involved in this because it's just so important that people participate in civic engagement; it reduces their chances of re-offending, it makes them feel like they are part of the community again, and I think that's just really important in a democracy," said Meredith McGhan, voter restoration advocate for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

Tennessee: NAACP Offers Restoration Assistance

NAACP Memphis Chapter is offering assistance to residents seeking voting rights restoration, ABC 24 reported. "I think in order to be a United States citizen, it's important to exercise the right to vote. I think it's critically important, and that's why we fight for individuals who have made mistakes and paid for them," said Van Turner, an attorney volunteering with the organization. Tennessee law stipulates that most individuals can vote after they've completed their sentence. Individuals convicted of murder, aggravated rape, treason, or voter fraud after July 1, 1986 are permanently banned from voting. For more information, call 901.521.1343.

Virginia: Voting Rights Restoration Forum Planned

Norfolk State University's Thurgood Marshall Pre-law Club of the Political Science Department is hosting a restoration of voting rights forum September 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The convening will include assistance with voting rights applications. Virginia permanently disenfranchises individuals with felony offenses. For more information, call 713.582.1316 or visit www.missingvoter.org.

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Florida: Executive Order Aimed to Speed Up Process

Gov. Charlie Crist implemented an executive order last week in an effort to speed up the process for persons with non-violent felony offenses to regain voting rights, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The order will:

- Require a voter-registration application be included in every Restoration of Civil Rights Certificate mailed from the Parole Commission;
- Make accessible a redesigned Florida Parole Commission Web site allowing individuals to locate and print their restoration certificate; and
- Provide on the Web site a direct link to the Division of Elections' voter-registration Web site.

"I believe that government should explore every opportunity to ease the notification process and provide as much information about restoration of civil rights," Crist said in a statement. "The changes made today will allow ex-offenders to immediately register to vote and participate in the democratic process."

In an editorial, the Orlando Sentinel stated that the executive order was "impressive," but added that Gov. Crist "could do better." The editorial board noted that problems will still remain, including the fact that elections supervisors will need greater access to state databases to reach new voters and that there's still uncertainty regarding how individuals will be notified by mail of their ability to vote.

Highlighting last week's Orlando Sentinel's investigative report on people whose rights have yet to be restored, a New York Times editorial stated that Florida's restoration figure of 115,000 "turn[ed] out to have been an illusion." Reform "would be good for the ex-offenders, good for Florida and good for the larger cause of democracy," the Times stated.

New York: Personal Fulfillment Includes the Right to Vote

Germaine Knapp, CEO of the Sojourner House, a women's transitional support organization in New York, said many women her organization comes in contact with don't realize they have the right to vote if they have served their time, including parole. "The women who come to Sojourner House have made a courageous decision to overcome the challenges of drug addiction, mental illness and abuse," she wrote in a Democrat and Chronicle commentary. "They have chosen to free themselves from low expectations and taken the high road to self-sufficiency, responsibility and personal fulfillment. Yet, although those women have demonstrated unusual courage, they continue to doubt their right to participate fully in elections."

Michigan: Attempting to Correct False Information

A campaign to register 1500 new Michigan voters is underway in an effort to ''combat false information that was being disseminated from inside the Corrections Department itself,'' the Michigan Citizen reported. Unlock the Vote is working in Wayne, Genessee and Kalamazoo counties to empower citizens with felony convictions.

Wisconsin: State Representative Thinks Law Should Change - for the Better

Wisconsin law states that individuals must complete their prison sentence in addition to probation or parole to become eligible to vote. State Rep. Joe Parisi wants that to change, Channel 3000 reported. "Once you've served your time and you're released from prison, we expect you to participate in society again and we encourage you to take part in the democratic process and vote. It would save money, it would help integrate people back into society and it would make the administration of elections much smoother," said Parisi, who will continue lobbying for a bill reflecting his views.

National: Voter Awareness Program Unveiled; Research Offers Judges' Views on Collateral Consequences

A nonpartisan voter awareness program was unveiled by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in an effort to educate voters and address voting barriers, including disenfranchisement, in the upcoming November election, according to Diverse Issues in Education. "Prepared to Vote" will include sponsoring community-based workshops, holding meetings with election officials and posting information on an educational Web site, www.preparedtovote.org.

"Prepared to Vote is a program designed to raise every voter's awareness of the many obstacles in the electoral process that could affect their right to vote in the 2008 election. Through Prepared to Vote, we hope to ensure that every eligible voter casts a vote that counts," said John Payton, LDF president and director-counsel.

A new survey of judicial practice and understanding of the collateral consequences of criminal convictions finds that while judges report that courtroom practitioners frequently discuss these policies in court, there is also "further evidence of serious ambiguities and variation in these laws' purpose, character, and imposition." The study of trial court judges nationally, by Alec Ewald and Marnie Smith, also found that about 80% of respondents "did not believe the purposes of collateral consequences were clearly defined in their state's statutes" and that "judges appear to differentiate among collateral consequences," supporting some more strongly than others. The study, "Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions in American Courts," appears in The Justice System Journal, Vol, 29, #2.

National: New York Review of Books Features Disenfranchisement Publication

The New York Review of Books incorporated discussion of "Restoring the Right to Vote," a 34-page publication authored by Erika Wood of the Brennan Center for Justice in a review of electoral issues. The report proposes automatic post-incarceration voting rights restoration.

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Florida: 'Bureaucratic Shuffle' Disappointing

Gov. Charlie Crist this week ordered his Office of Executive Clemency to make greater progress on granting citizens their civil rights, as the media and advocates have cited little progress on his 2007 policy change granting nonviolent offenders the right to vote, the Miami Herald reported. The article stated that "the governor's actions are too little, too late" for those hoping to vote in the upcoming election. "This was a lost opportunity," said Muslima Lewis, senior attorney for the ACLU's Racial Justice and Voting Rights Projects. "Had he issued today's executive order when we asked him to do so more than eight months ago, thousands more Floridians would have benefited. Waiting until August 27, when there are just over five weeks to register to vote for the November general election greatly diminishes the impact of the governor's action."

An Orlando Sentinel editorial challenges Gov. Crist to "finish what you started," as thousands of citizens with felony offenses have yet to be notified on their voting status, despite his June announcement that more than 110,000 individuals' rights had been restored. "That was a good thing," the editorial states about the policy change. "But the process remains archaic because Florida is one of a few states that won't automatically restore civil rights to ex-felons." The Parole Board has lost several employees responsible for processing and contacting applicants causing a major lag and backup in notifying thousands of potential voters. "If you're going to pat yourself on the back for restoring civil rights, Mr. Crist, you may as well free up a few hands to finish what you started," the editorial concluded. According to an investigative report by the Orlando Sentinel, 9,000 of the 112,000 citizens who are newly eligible to vote had registered by the end of July.

Virginia: Officials Working to Restore Rights of Hundreds by September

Carla Whitehead recently got word from Gov. Tim Kaine that her application had been approved and her voting rights had been restored. "Basically, I view it as part of the restoration of my life . . . the opportunity for me to make a positive impact so others can see it from me," Whitehead was quoted as saying in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She is among 158 citizens with nonviolent felony convictions who have had their voting rights restored by the governor since mid-April, according to the Commonwealth. Officials gave individuals seeking restoration until Aug. 1 to submit an application for eligibility consideration. Reportedly, 918 were received and 733 of these were found to be qualified. The remaining applications were disqualified due to additional convictions or incomplete information. Officials hope to process applications by Sept. 15. "It's not just about going in and getting your rights restored," said Hasan Zarif, a formerly incarcerated advocate whose rights were restored last year. "We're giving them a recipe for what they need to be doing so when the governor restores their rights, he's restoring the rights of a productive citizen."

Kentucky: Advocates Mobilize for 11 Weeks of Registration, Education

This week, 14 Kentuckians for the Commonwealth Electoral Organizers began training to help members identify, register, educate, and mobilize 15,000 voters between now and Election Day. Members include advocate Tayna Fogle, former University of Kentucky basketball player and graduate whose rights were restored after a lengthy process of writing an essay and acquiring three letters of recommendations in 2006 - a process that has now been eliminated.

Alabama: No Advocate in Attorney General

Responding to the various opinion editorials and news articles that have followed the ACLU felony disenfranchisement suit, Alabama Attorney General Troy King wrote an editorial "defending this litigation." "Personally, I have advocated, and continue to advocate, for a change in the Alabama Constitution. We have it within our power as citizens to amend the constitution to prevent all felons from voting, not just those whose crimes involve moral turpitude," he stated. "The United States Supreme Court has said that is lawful and I say it is good policy: Those who violate the laws should not have any role in electing the officials who make and enforce the law. Until the Alabama Constitution is amended, however, I will continue to advise registrars to follow the law and to defend it against the baseless attacks of the ACLU."

National: BET Documentary on Disenfranchisement Airs Friday, Sunday

In "Locked Out: Ex-Cons and the Vote," BET News correspondent Samson Styles investigates how disenfranchisement laws affect African-American turnout at the polls. As one of the 5.3 million people in America who has lost the right to vote due to a criminal conviction, Styles sets out on a journey to regain his own voting rights, explore the state-to-state differences of disfranchisement laws. Locked Out: Ex-Cons and the Vote airs Friday at 11:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Pennsylvania: "Felons Can Vote" Sign at Campaign Headquarters Causes Minor Stir

A sign alerting all citizens, including those with felony offenses, to register to vote was removed from the Barack Obama campaign headquarters in Pottstown last week by staff, the Pottstown Mercury News reported. "They just realized maybe it was sending the wrong message and took it down themselves," said Sean Smith, a spokesman from the Philadelphia campaign office. Michael Slater, spokesman for Project Vote, which advocates for full participation in the election process, said the sign should have remained and the effort should be "applauded, not repudiated or criticized."

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Alabama: Moral Turpitude 'Vastly Inferior'

The Press-Register featured an opinion editorial by former assistant attorney general David Bourne which blasted the ACLU Alabama's recent lawsuit advocating that citizens with felony convictions be allowed to vote. Bourne writes "The ACLU's lawsuit is nothing but a first step toward setting up polling places in prisons and jails. Our state cannot allow that to happen." He further argued that election officials would be faced with major inconveniences in deciding in which districts prisoners lived and having to spend "entire, 12-hour voting days within jailhouse walls."

Calling Alabama's disenfranchisement laws "dysfunctional" and "vastly inferior," a commentary by Sam Brooke and Kimble Forrister featured in the Huntsville Times emphasizes the complex system that has confused many citizens with felony convictions seeking their right to vote. "How could such widespread mistakes occur? The short answer is that confusion over Alabama voting laws has long vexed citizens and state officials alike," the authors state. "We have a shameful history of voter disfranchisement, and conflicting statements from the attorney general and the Legislature haven't helped." The Legislature has identified disfranchising felonies, which include murder, rape, and forgery - named by the Constitution as crimes of moral turpitude. "Now, termination of voting rights occurs only for felonies involving 'moral turpitude,' an antiquated term that is not defined in the constitution ... It is absurd to require citizens who have never been deemed by the Legislature to be disfranchised in the first place to go through this process to exercise a right they never legally lost," the commentary continues. State law allows citizens with felony offenses and those currently serving terms for lesser felonies such as felony DUI, attempted burglary, battery, aiding and abetting escape and some drug possession offenses to vote.

More than 5,500 people have had their voting rights restored under the new process, and 220 had requests pending at the end of July, the Montgomery Advertiser reported. Another 327 received pardons between the beginning of the year and the end of July.

As a result, activist and head of The Ordinary People's Society, the Rev. Kenneth Glasgow, continues to educate people in jail and citizens with felony convictions on Alabama's voting rights laws, the Dothan Eagle reported. For additional coverage, see the Final Call .

California: County Jail Inmates Educated About their Right to Vote in Upcoming Election

All of Us or None, a national organizing campaign, educated people in county jail in Redwood City on their right to vote. Dwight Dominique, who was released from jail six months ago, is helping to let inmates know that they can vote in the upcoming election, the San Mateo Daily News reported. Dominique said he didn't realize he was surrendering his vote when he pled guilty to felony drug charges. "Had I known, it probably would have made a different effect on the plea bargain I took," said Dominique, who was hoping to participate in this year's presidential election.

Indiana: Advocacy Organization to Recruit 500 Volunteers to Register Voters

The Grassroots Effort Committee for Change hopes to unveil voting power by helping to register individuals with felony offenses. They are recruiting 500 volunteers to educate and register the population, Fort Wayne's Frost Illustrated reported.

Florida: Committee Supports Restoration While Commission Continues to Experience Backlog

The Florida Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights last week released its report on the restoration of voting rights for citizens with felony convictions, "Ex-Felon Voting Rights in Florida: Revised Rules of Executive Clemency that Automatically Restore Civil Rights to Level-1 Offenders Is the Right Policy." In the report, the Committee unanimously supports a policy change and recommends that succeeding Governors and cabinet officials continue to endorse and retain this policy, Market Watch reported. The organization is a bi-partisan advisory panel to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The full report is available on the Commission's Web site.

The issue of disenfranchisement was featured in a Florida Courier article that reported on the community's disappointment in the lack of diversity that exists on the Florida Parole Commission. Although the Commission has restored voting rights to about 115,000 people with non-violent offenses, the Commission still has thousands more applications to review. The article stated that the Commission processes about 7,000 cases a month; the prison system stated that about 3,000 individuals are released every month, leaving a minimum two-year waiting period for individuals currently on the list.

Illinois: 'Myth' Misinforms Too Many

A Journal Gazette Times Courier letter to the editor stated that the "myth" that formerly incarcerated persons cannot vote is misinforming many. Written by a citizen with a felony conviction who hopes to educate and register individuals like himself, Robert D. Donnell stated that county officials, too, don't know the state's laws, contributing to the misinformation.

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National: "New Constituency" Targeted as Election Day Approaches

Florida civil rights lawyer Reggie Mitchell, Alabama activist Rev. Kenneth Glasgow and various grass-roots groups around the nation are trying to register tens of thousands of newly eligible citizens with felony convictions for the upcoming election. "They have taken up the cause on their own, motivated by the belief that former offenders have been unfairly disenfranchised for decades," the Washington Post reports. Mitchell said the state's former disenfranchisement policy that banned all citizens with felony convictions from voting offended his notion of justice. "You can serve your time and still have your rights taken away," he stated of the former policy which was changed last year to allow those with non-violent offenses and paid restitution to vote. "I studied the history of black disenfranchisement in the state. We had the grandfather laws and the tissue-paper ballots. When a black man came to vote, they gave him a tissue-paper ballot that was later thrown out. There were lynchings and riots. We've got a long history of depriving people of the right to vote in Florida."

Commenting on the Post's coverage, the American Prospect posted a blog entry that begged for a logical response to continuing antiquated disenfranchisement laws. "Such laws are Constitutionally suspect. If someone has fulfilled their legal obligations in prison, why are they still being punished after release? Why do former felons lose the right to act politically in their own self-interest once they are supposedly free? What, exactly, is Constitutional about depriving American citizens of one of their most basic civil rights? How does disenfranchising the formerly incarcerated encourage them to be productive members of society? Most ridiculous is the presumption that such laws are 'tough on crime.' How does preventing ex-felons from voting prevent crimes from being committed?" For additional coverage, read the Daily News Record.

In the summer edition of the National Urban League's Opportunity Journal, Kara Gotsch, The Sentencing Project's Director of Advocacy, wrote: "[E]xcluding David Waller from the voting booth [because of his felony conviction] did not just punish him and his family, but everyone who believes in an inclusive democratic society." She tells the story of Waller from Baltimore, Maryland, who registered to vote last year when Governor Martin O'Malley signed a law automatically restoring voting rights upon completion of sentence. Entitled, "Voting Rights Movement Continues for Citizens with Felony Convictions," the piece also highlights the devastating impact of state felony disenfranchisement laws and the momentum to change them.

Florida: Automatic Restoration is in the Governor's Hands

Mark Schlakman offers several suggestions and steps that Florida can take to ensure that citizens with felony convictions can regain their voting rights upon completion of sentence. In a St. Petersburg Times commentary. Schlakman recommends that Gov. Charlie Crist, who has already helped restore rights to nonviolent offenders who have paid restitution - sign an executive order that would implement provisions of a comprehensive re-entry bill that passed the Senate this year but died in the House. "The three tiers of review that were established by the April 2007 rule changes, which can be cumbersome and costly, could be collapsed into one resembling the approach taken under former Gov. Reubin Askew, simply to verify completion of sentence," Schlakman stated. He further suggested that the government do the following:

--The governor and Cabinet should revisit the long-standing clemency rule that requires ex-offenders to pay restitution obligations in full as a precondition for rights restoration.

--The governor and Cabinet should readopt a 1975 Rule of Executive Clemency that provided for essentially automatic restoration of rights upon completion of sentence.

--The governor and Cabinet should require that civil rights restoration review be initiated before offenders complete their sentences rather than afterward.

--The governor should direct the state Division of Elections to provide local elections supervisors with contact information for ex-offenders who have regained their rights to vote to help reach this newly eligible population.

Nevada: More Difficulty Ahead

A recent policy change in Nevada has made it more difficult for individuals with out-of-state felony convictions to regain the right to vote. Voting rights will be restored by the Nevada Secretary of State only if voting rights were restored in the state where the conviction and release occurred. The Secretary of State now requires individuals to get documented proof that their rights were restored, which can be a difficult task in the state they came from -- and that makes it virtually impossible because "there is just no system in place to get it to them," a K-LAS Eyewitness News editorial stated. "The registrar's letters even re-accuse ex-felons of committing another felony by trying to register to vote."

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Virginia: "There is Some Hope"

"Those who have no concern for the plight of former criminals - regardless of how much these individuals have done to turn their lives around - should know that alienating ex-offenders does nothing more than pressure a return to criminal behavior," writes Brandon Patterson, the director of Resource Development at Virginia CARES Inc. in a Roanoke Times commentary. In Virginia, there are approximately 300,000 citizens with previous felony convictions. Because of disenfranchisement laws, they're banned from voting, but Gov. Tim Kaine has expedited the review process for petitioners with non-violent criminal records. Applicants were to submit an application to the Secretary of the Commonwealth by August 1. If their application is approved, they will be able to register for the November election. "The key to turning back voting laws is to empower the individuals affected by them," stated Patterson.

Kentucky: Governor's Move to Restore Rights "Makes Every Kind of Sense"

Saying they've completed their sentences and paid their debts to society, Gov. Steve Beshear has granted more than 700 "partial pardons" to citizens with felony convictions over the last five months, allowing them to vote, the Associated Press reported on July 29. "The primary goal of the corrections system is to rehabilitate those who have committed crimes and return them as contributing members to society," said Gov. Beshear. The move also restores the right to serve in office, but not to possess firearms.

"Beshear has done the right thing. Now the General Assembly should follow his lead," states a Lexington Herald-Leader editorial on the governor's efforts to make voting more attainable for citizens with felony records. Formerly, citizens seeking vote restoration were required to submit an essay and three letters of recommendation before former Gov. Ernie Fletcher would even consider restoring voting rights. As a result, few Kentuckians regained their right to vote, the Herald-Leader stated. Earlier this year, Gov. Beshear eliminated that requirement and extended the time prosecutors have to protest a petition. He's since restored voting rights to 790 people and denied requests to 56 based on objections by prosecutors. During Fletcher's four years in office, voting rights were restored to 1,098 citizens. During the last session of the General Assembly, the House passed a bill that would automatically restore voting rights upon sentence completion, but it died in the Senate.

Following suit, the Courier Journal editorial board also supported Beshear's efforts stating that, "it makes every kind of sense for Gov. Steve Beshear to have restored voting rights" to these individuals. "Giving convicts a stake in decent society, and its democratic processes, is not only the just thing to do but the smart investment to make."

Tennessee: Voting While (Unknowingly) Disenfranchised

While activists push for voting rights restoration, the state is tracking down voters who have illegally cast ballots over the years - because they hadn't realized their rights hadn't yet been restored, according to the Leaf Chronicle. The article reports that the Tennessee Department of State Election Division actively tracked individuals with felony records. Larry Neal was arrested even though he filed to have his rights restored in 1999 and has voted since 2001. "He had made efforts to reinstate his voting rights and had got confused - it wasn't intentional" said Public Defender Crystal Myers. Neal's case was eventually dismissed, but there continues to be a discrepancy in people's understanding of the policy. In fact, Myers said many of her clients with felony convictions who may be receiving food stamp benefits registered to vote through the Department of Human Services.

Terry McMoore, of the ACLU of Tennessee, is working to get legislation passed to streamline the re-enfranchisement process. "It really bothers me," said McMoore. "We're trying to get the voter rights restored, and it's been simplified ... but that's another felony charge and you have to start all over again."

Pennsylvania: Preventing Disenfranchisement

A panel discussion sponsored by the YWCA's Downtown office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion in Pittsburgh focused on re-enfranchisement efforts on behalf of formerly incarcerated citizens. Politicians, journalists, and advocates attended the event as panelists and attendees to discuss how to better educate the community at large on voting rights, working polls and registering jail inmates and individuals with felony records, according to a Pittsburgh Courier article. " Anything that prohibits the vote of the public should be challenged," said Tim Stevens, a panel participant and founder and chairman of the Black Political Empowerment Project. "Anytime the government starts discussing new policies for voting, it should raise a red flag for society."

Panelists described state laws that allow those incarcerated for a misdemeanor or on parole or probation (with the exclusion of being a resident of a halfway house) to vote. Those incarcerated with misdemeanors are required to use an absentee ballot. "We don't want the most vulnerable to be disenfranchised because they are vulnerable," said Celeste Taylor of the Black Political Empowerment Project. "We must be vigilant and persistent in helping each other."

National: Punishment Versus Basic Rights

Marc Mauer, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project and Roger Clegg, President and General Counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity, debated each other on disenfranchisement in the Washington Examiner. Mauer's argument stated two key reasons to oppose disenfranchisement: "First, in a democracy everyone's voice should count; we should be wary of any attempt to restrict the right to vote based on perceived political views, loyalty or behavior. In fact, there is no evidence that people with felony convictions have significantly different views on defense policy, taxation, abortion or any other issue of concern to most Americans. Voting is also important for reasons of fairness and public safety. People living in the community on probation or parole supervision, or who have completed their felony sentence, are subject to all the obligations and responsibilities of other citizens. They work, pay taxes and support their children. Denying them the right to vote only communicates a message of second-class citizenship."

Clegg's response stated that some felons should be allowed to vote, but be based on the seriousness of the crime, how long ago it was committed and the rehabilitation of the released citizen. "To participate in self-government, you must be willing to accept the rule of law. We don't let everyone vote; children, noncitizens and the mentally incompetent don't. Voting requires certain minimum, objective standards of trustworthiness, loyalty and responsibility, and those who have committed serious crimes against their fellow citizens don't meet those standards."

Nicole Kief, state strategist for the ACLU Racial Justice Program wrote a blog offering an historical overview of voter disenfranchisement in addition to the successes advocates in several states have gained recently. She writes: "Felony disfranchisement's nasty roots in voter suppression should remind us that promoting access to the polls for all eligible voters is fundamental to the health of our democracy."

Florida: Continue Momentum, Disband Disenfranchisement

Contesting a Palm Beach Post editorial which praised Gov. Charlie Crist's efforts to restore voting rights to 115,000 citizens with felony offenses, Mark Schlakman pointed out several misleading claims featured in the piece. According to the Parole Commission, Schlakman stated, the 115,000 individuals whose rights were restored "included about 90,000 cases that date back to the early '80s and about 25,000 more recent cases pending final action by the board. Therefore, the 115,000 figure appears to be at least somewhat illusory." He also pointed out that more than 300,000 older rights restoration cases identified by the Department of Corrections for review last spring were deemed ineligible under the new rules. Schlakman further broke down the administrative process: the Florida Department of Corrections transmits the names of about 4,000 additional ex-offenders to the Parole Commission for rights restoration review each month after they are released or their probation is terminated. The reality is that the rights restoration process must be reengineered to address the public interest and the needs of ex-offenders.

"With another stroke of his pen, Gov. Crist, with support from at least two Cabinet members, could restore the civil rights of many more ex-offenders who have completed their sentences, enabling them to register to vote. Only then will the rights restoration process reflect the fundamental fairness that the governor has been talking about," Schlakman concluded.

Prior to last year's policy change, an average of about 7,000 persons got back their rights each year, according to the News-Press. There are now currently 1,000 cases that come in monthly and 57,000 cases await eligibility notice. Marshall Bland recently received his eligibility notice. "It's something that I thought would never happen," he said. "Now I'm going to do everything in my power to give back to my community. And voting can help." Still, the News-Press and the Florida Times-Union reported many do not know that their rights have been restored, or know about the policy change.

"I walked around with my head down, thinking I can't vote," a newly restored voter, Charles Russell, was quoted as saying in the Florida Times- Union. "Come to find out, it's a totally different story. I can voice my opinion now instead of being pushed back in a corner."

In an effort to continue momentum and completely erase disenfranchisement practices in the state, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) held its statewide annual convention in Tampa, where police, advocates, professors and formerly incarcerated individuals discussed the ramifications of losing civil rights. FRRC is pushing for an amendment on the statewide ballot that would automatically restore voting rights, WMNF 88.5 FM reported. Also in support of reform is Alachua County Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut who is encouraging all residents to register to vote and update addresses, the Gainesville Guardian reported. "I'm very pleased that felons that have paid their debt to society have the opportunity to vote and make a difference in the elections" Chestnut was quoted as saying. "It's imperative for felons to know and follow through in the process to get their voting fully restored."

Alabama: Father, Son Disagree on Disenfranchisement Policy in Op-ed

A father and son battle out the issue of disenfranchisement in a pro-con op-ed featured in the Montgomery Advertiser. Mel Cooper Sr., the retired executive director of the Alabama Ethics Commission supports disenfranchisement while his son, Mel Cooper Jr., president of an online consulting firm, asks his father why Annette McWashington Pruitt of Birmingham should lose her rights because of a 2003 felony conviction for receiving stolen property. "Before you answer, Dad, you should know that Ms. Pruitt apparently is not one of those apathetic (non-)voters you were moaning about a few weeks ago. She really does want to vote and had every intention of showing up at her local voting precinct on Election Day like every other citizen in Jefferson County," wrote the son.

The father responded: "Well, Son, without even knowing which major crime Ms. Pruitt violated, I cannot work up any sympathy for her, nor can I reward her for having served a prison term by restoring her right to vote in any election."

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Alabama: ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging Crimes of Moral Turpitude, Restitution Requirement

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama filed a lawsuit this week on behalf of three women who had completed their sentences but were denied their right to vote. The suit challenges a 2005 opinion by Attorney General Troy King expanding the types of offenses for which an individual can lose the right to vote. Approximately 250,000 people in Alabama are banned from voting because of a conviction for a crime of "moral turpitude," which is defined by statute. In 2003, the Alabama Legislature passed a law requiring the Board of Pardons and Parole to provide a "certificate of eligibility to register to vote" to all persons who have completed sentence and paid fines and restitution, as long as they had not been convicted of specified serious offenses. The 2005 opinion by the attorney general added additional disqualifying offenses, many of them nonviolent. The ACLU is arguing that the attorney general's list is unconstitutional because only the state legislature can define crimes of "moral turpitude." "This whole notion of moral turpitude is so vague and imprecise," said Laughlin McDonald, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project. "It's in the larger interest of the general public to rehabilitate people. It's one of the things that rehabilitates people, participating in the political process." The ACLU is also challenging the requirement that all fines and restitution be paid prior to being eligible to register to vote. Read the complaint, motion for preliminary injunction, and motion for class certification.

Florida: Make a "Simple Fix"

"Don't make convicts pay for their sins again," reads an Orlando Sentinel editorial in support of complete civil rights restoration. The editorial board urges Gov. Charlie Crist and the Executive Clemency Board to make a "simple fix" to modify current law that keeps many individuals with felony offenses from voting or applying for occupational or business licenses because they owe restitution. The Orlando Sentinel argues that voting rights should be restored automatically upon completion of sentence and job eligibility should be determined by the oversight agencies of the specific occupations. "It's important that they be given every reasonable opportunity to make the transition back to society as smoothly as possible," the editorial states. "Finding a job is critical. So why is Florida making that process more challenging?"

Virginia: Collateral Consequences Unfair, Unnecessary

"The labyrinth of rules and regulations for re- enfranchisement in the commonwealth needs to end," commented Edward Hailes Jr., senior attorney at Advancement Project, in reference to Virginia's disenfranchisement laws. In an op-ed published in the Roanoke Times, Hailes stated that denying citizens' voices is undemocratic and unjust. "Contrary to popular belief, felony disenfranchisement laws are not part of the criminal justice system. Instead, they are state election laws, enacted by state legislatures and governors or hardwired into constitutions. Losing the right to vote after a felony conviction in Virginia is not in any way part of a criminal sentence -- it is a collateral consequence dictated by state law." On behalf of the Advancement Project, Hailes applauded Gov. Tim Kaine's efforts to expedite the review process for petitioners with non-violent criminal records. Since taking office, Governor Kaine has restored voting rights to 1,809 persons who had been convicted of a felony.

North Carolina: Community Groups Get Out The Vote

Three organizations in North Carolina hosted a rally to educate people about the rights of formerly incarcerated citizens and register them to vote in the upcoming election. Democracy North Carolina, Fresh Start Incorporated and the Institute for Community Justice of Fayetteville State registered nine individuals at the event. "The right to vote is one of our most fundamental rights in a democracy," said Jennifer Frye, associate director of Democracy North Carolina. "It's a ticket to feeling like a first-class citizen." In North Carolina, citizens with felony offenses can vote after the completion of sentence, including probation and parole.

Contact Information -- e-mail: zjennings@sentencingproject.org, web: http://www.sentencingproject.org

Louisiana: Bill Requiring Voting Rights Notification Gets Thumbs Up from Local ACLU

The ACLU of Louisiana has applauded Gov. Bobby Jindal's recent signing of a law that mandates the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to notify people leaving its supervision about the process of regaining their voting rights. The law, which goes into effect August 15, also requires the Department to provide returning citizens with voter registration applications.

"By requiring notice of voting rights reinstatement to those completing their felony sentences, the Louisiana legislature and Gov. Jindal have taken an important step towards ensuring that all of Louisiana's eligible voters can exercise their fundamental right to vote," said Marjorie Esman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana, which lobbied in favor of the bill. "The enactment of this legislation shows that the right to vote transcends partisan politics," Esman said. "This bill is about the strength of our democracy."

Louisiana's current law bans nearly 100,000 citizens from voting until they have completed parole or probation. Thousands more are kept from the polls because they wrongly believe that they cannot regain their right to vote, according to the ACLU. "The ACLU of Louisiana will be working with Voice of the Ex-Offender (VOTE) to help ensure that the Department of Public Safety and Corrections implements the bill quickly and effectively," said Norris Henderson, VOTE's founder and director.

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Contact Information: e-mail -- zjennings@sentencingproject.org, web: http://www.sentencingproject.org.

Louisiana: New Law Requires State to Notify Individuals of Voter Status

A felon enfranchisement notice bill was signed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal which requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to provide each person who completes their felony sentence with information about regaining the right to vote. The bill also requires that individuals are given a voter registration form. The law will go into effect August 15.

Florida: Clock Running Down for Eligible Formerly Incarcerated Individuals to Register to Vote

Governor Charlie Crist's decision to ease the restoration process for certain formerly incarcerated individuals last year was expected to impact between 250,000 and 300,000 citizens. However, the actual number of restored voters may be about 115,000 once the clemency board signs all the certificates, according to the Florida Parole Commission. Many barriers have slowed the process, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The Parole Commission suffered financial setbacks and has decreased staff despite a backlog of 60,000 restoration requests. And despite law enforcement and corrections agencies' efforts to send restoration certificates to formerly incarcerated citizens, many have been returned as undeliverable.

"There are just too many impediments, and it doesn't seem like easy solutions are being adopted," said Florida ACLU attorney Muslima Lewis, who runs the group's efforts on restoration of rights. The ACLU and the People for the American Way Foundation have sponsored civil rights seminars and printed posters promoting a toll-free helpline, but funding was pulled last year. "We're looking for a needle in a haystack," said Sharon Lettman with People for the American Way Foundation. "At the end of the day, if they haven't seen our public service announcement on television or if they haven't seen a newspaper, they may not find out they can vote." Voters have until July 28 to register in time for the August 26 primary. For additional news, read Capitol News Service coverage.

Tennessee: Changing Attitudes, Lawsuit May Increase Number of Voters Come November

According to the Tennessee Secretary of State's Office, the voting rights of 469 citizens with felony offenses were restored over the last six months - twice the number of people who had voting rights restored during the same time last year, an Associated Press article reported. "We have a black man, Obama, that could lead a country that once enslaved people like him," said James Settles, who founded Aphesis House, a network of transitional living homes for ex-offenders. "I think some of the men would like to take part, experience that vote. But they've got a whole lot of things in their way." Tennessee does not automatically restore voting rights to persons who have completed their sentence. Citizens hoping to vote must first pay restitution and child support, which is being challenged in court by the ACLU Voting Rights Project. The first motion will be heard later this month in Nashville.

National: Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Need Voting Rights in Order to Speak Up for Their Issues

Writing about the lack of input formerly incarcerated citizens have upon returning to their communities due felony disenfranchisement laws, Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell, Associate Director of Development at the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine expressed her support for vote restoration in a Blacknews.com op-ed. "As voters express their desire for change in America's presidential campaign, part of the change should be ensuring that all Americans can execute their constitutional right to vote."

Delaware: House Bill Defines Completion of Sentence as Having Paid Restitution

Delaware bill HB 457, which requires the full payment of fees and fines as part of the definition of "completion of sentence," was passed in the House earlier this week. The restoration process under the proposed law would include receiving a pardon or waiting five years after completion of a sentence as well as paying all fines and restitution before regaining voting rights. The Senate still has to approve the measure and lawmakers must approve the same bill a second time during the next General Assembly, which begins in January 2009, to complete the constitutional change. Read the Delaware News Journal for more coverage.

Virginia: Citizens' Voting Rights Turns Political

On NewAmericaMedia.org, Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson balances the political implications and motives of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's consideration of expediting the restoration of voting rights to certain individuals with a felony conviction. Hutchinson stated, "[w]hatever the motive, the only thing that really counts is that the permanent felon bans that shove tens of thousands of ex offenders to a political netherworld be ended and ended now."

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Michigan: Officials' Misunderstanding Leads to Misinformed, Nonvoting Citizens'

Formerly incarcerated citizens often return to their communities "with the intention of addressing a system that unjustly led to their incarceration," according to a Detroit advocacy group, Helping Our Prisoners Elevate (H.O.P.E.). "Most people that go to prison gain a greater awareness," H.O.P.E.'s Kwasi Akwamu was quoted as saying in a recent Michigan Citizen article. "We encourage ex-prisoners to vote - to become part of that process and change those harsh policies."

Although individuals who have served prison time regain their rights upon release, many are unaware of reenfranchisement laws in Michigan, and nationwide. In the article, The Sentencing Project's Executive Director Marc Mauer cites a 10-state survey in which 31% of local election officials misunderstood voting laws, thus misinforming formerly incarcerated individuals. "It's the lack of information," stated Mauer. "There's no systematic means by which they are informed of their right to vote."

Tennessee: Lawsuit Aims to Strike Down "Poll Tax," Restore Rights

A lawsuit brought by the Atlanta-based ACLU Voting Rights Project challenges the constitutionality of the state's law, which does not automatically restore rights after individuals complete their sentence. Furthermore, citizens charged with felony offenses are banned from voting if they owe child support or court-ordered restitution. Preliminary motions will be heard in Nashville later this month.

One of the 90,000 citizens barred from voting in Tennessee is 20-year-old Louis Horton, who received three months in prison and two years of probation for burglary. After serving his time, Horton attempted to have his rights restored, but was denied because he owed about $4,000 in court-ordered restitution. "I been saying every vote counts," said Horton. "Now, I don't know that I would vote for Obama strictly because he's a black man. I like what he has to say. The only thing I can say for sure is this is a year where it would be nice to stick my vote in there, too." According to the Tennessean, Horton, who is one of three men named in the suit, is one of thousands of African Americans who are disproportionately arrested, charged and convicted of crimes, which are pushing to regain the right to vote. Between January 1 and June 24 of this year, 469 former felons requested and received a restoration of their voting rights.

Others affected by the law include Alex Friedmann, who wasn't immediately interested in his voting rights after completing his sentence, but believed his vote should be counted. "When you get out, your priorities are to find a place to live, earn an income, and if you are like most people, get your personal life in order ... repair relationships with your family," said Friedmann, who is associate editor of Prison Legal News. "Voting rights generally don't figure in until you have reached a certain point of stability." For more coverage, read a blog post from Knoxville's WBIR.com.

National: "Illogical System" in Florida in Need of "Complete Overhaul"

A New York Times editorial advocating for automatic restoration in Florida, states that "the United States is uniquely unforgiving" in its disenfranchisement laws. Despite the state's disenfranchisement reform last year, the New York Times argues that restoring rights only to citizens convicted of nonviolent offenses is "short of what's needed," and suggests a "complete overhaul of a wildly illogical system." It also states that the extensive background checks are unnecessary and time consuming for a short-staffed Parole Commission.

The editorial further states: "Quite apart from the fact that it is undemocratic to bar people from the voting booth because they owe money, the system is transparently counterproductive since it prevents people from landing the jobs they will need to make restitution. Denying ex-offenders a chance to make an honest living is a sure way to drive them back to jail."

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Virginia: Governor Receptive to Disenfranchisement Reform for those Charged with Non-violent Offenses

The Washington Post editorialized in support of Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine's effort to re- enfranchise citizens who have completed their felony sentences. "We have no reason to believe Mr. Kaine is acting on political motives, but even if he were, his actions affirm a truth that all but a few states have accepted: Felons who pay their debt to society should not be denied the right to vote," the editorial states. Virginia is overly restrictive in its disenfranchisement policies and should not permanently exclude individuals with felony records from the voting process, the Post contends.

Appearing on WTOP's "Ask the Governor" program earlier this week broadcast in the Washington, D.C. area, Gov. Kaine expressed his willingness to support changes in the Commonwealth's laws - but only to those convicted of non-violent offenses. "When somebody wants to participate, I think we ought to have procedures that enable them to once they've shown that [they] can do fine in civil society," he said. "It would have to be a constitutional amendment that would give the legislature the power to set up that kind of format and I think it should be in most instances, more automatic."

In response to a Daily Press column , Janice Puffenberger commented on the issue of offering formerly incarcerated individuals a second chance in society. "The fact that we refuse to let felons return to full membership in society after paying their dues, by refusing them the right to vote, leads to recidivism," she writes. We don't give a break to those who make mistakes, so technically their problem is really our problem."

Florida: To the Governor, Congrats … and Continue On

"Gov. Charlie Crist is to be congratulated" for his part in helping to restore the rights of 115,000 citizens with felony offenses, a St. Petersburg Times editorial states. As more await voting rights eligibility notices, Crist has the option of streamlining the entire civil rights restoration process, which would include allowing those with felony offenses to apply for professional licenses. According to the Times, if Crist moves in this direction, the state could return to the Executive Clemency rules of 1975 under Gov. Reuben Askew, when restoration of rights was automatic after completion of parole or probation. The move could further eliminate the current backlog that the Parole Commission is experiencing as it continues to go through a backlog of 60,000 restoration cases. An additional 4,000 applications are submitted each month for review by the Commission.

Massachusetts: Voting Not a "Privilege for the Virtuous"

"Voting is a fundamental right, not a privilege for the virtuous," contends a Boston Globe editorial. Commenting on the Brennan Center for Justice's recent study on the various laws and impacts of disenfranchisement, the editorial further states that the fact that voting rights vary state by state is "bizarre." As recently as eight years ago, Massachusetts allowed those incarcerated to vote. Now, however, voting rights are restored upon release from prison.

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Florida: Finally, "Sub Group" of Potential Voters Getting Attention

In Florida there are an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 potential new voters - former felony offenders - that could participate in the upcoming presidential race, the Tamp Bay Tribune reported. NBC affiliate WPTV-5 is calling formerly incarcerated individuals the most sought after "sub group" in the upcoming election and reports that both Republicans and Democrats are vying for their support. Despite the positive news, there continues to be a backlog in rights restoration cases, according to the Parole Commission, the investigative arm of the Clemency Board. Since Governor Charlie Crist and the Clemency Board voted to ease the restoration process for nonviolent offenders last year, about 115,000 individuals have regained the right to vote. About 300,000, however, are still waiting in the wings to be notified of their eligibility. Adding to that, about 4,000 ex-offenders come up for review each month after they are released or their probation is terminated, stated Mark Schlakman, senior program director at the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at Florida State University in a Tallahassee Democrat opinion editorial. "With another stroke of his pen, Gov.Charlie Crist, with support from at least two Cabinet members, also could enable many ex-offenders to regain their civil rights and register to vote. Only then will the rights-restoration process reflect the fundamental fairness that the governor has been talking about."

Gov. Crist spoke highly of the restoration process during a two-day Restoration of Rights Summit sponsored by the state Department of Corrections. It was also learned that the Legislature recently cut 20 percent of the Parole Commission's budget, which resulted in the loss of nine employees who work on civil rights applications, the St. Petersburg Times reported. "Even with the changes to the rules in Florida's civil rights laws, the process for ex-offenders to regain voting rights is cumbersome, particularly in the face of budget cuts and shortage of staff at the Florida Parole Commission," writes Martha Hill in a News-Press op-ed. "Gov. Crist walked the first step, but the journey is still long." Muslima Lewis, director of the voting rights project at the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, agreed in a New York Times article. "There is a large demand for this," she said. "And it is a lot higher this year with the election."

Virginia: Governor, Advocates Play 'Beat the Clock' to Register Former Offenders

"This is not a radical idea," states a Roanoke Times editorial, of automatic restoration for formerly incarcerated individuals. "In most states, a felon's right to vote is restored automatically upon complet