Democracy Restoration Act
Legislation
The Democracy Restoration Act (DRA) is federal legislation that seeks to restore voting rights in federal elections to the nearly 4 million disenfranchised Americans who have been released from prison and are living in the community. The bill was introduced by Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) and Representative John Conyers (D-MI) as H.R 3335 and S. 1516 on July 24th, 2009. On June 3, 2009, Representatives John Conyers and Jerrold Nadler wrote a letter to colleagues to garner support for the DRA.
Currently, 35 states continue to disenfranchise people after release from prison. For a state-by-state guide on felony disenfranchisement laws around the country, view our map here or download a PDF of the map here. Restoring the Right to Vote, a comprehensive policy proposal, is here. To view all publications related to voting after criminal convictions, click here.
DRA Fact sheet
Legal analysis of the constitutionality of the DRA
Groups and Individuals who support the DRA
Click here to head back to the Voting After a Criminal Conviction initiative page
Press
To view Brennan Center's press release, click here.
To view Senator Feingold's press release, click here.
To read Senator Russ Feingold and Jack Kemp's op-ed on the DRA, click here.
For press on the DRA, click here.
For all press on felony disenfranchisement, click here.
Bill History
2009
12/11/09 - Congressional Briefing was held on the Democracy Restoration Act.
12/10/09 - Civil rights, law enforcement, criminal justice and faith organizations and leaders submitted letters to members of Congress in support of the DRA.
07/24/09 - DRA introduced by Sen. Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. Conyers (D-MI) H.R 3335 and S. 1516 on July 24th, 2009.
07/03/09 - Representatives John Conyers and Jerrold Nadler wrote a letter to colleagues to garner support for the DRA.
2008
09/26/08 - The DRA was first introduced in the 110th Congress on as S.3640 and H.R.7136. Senator Feingold's statements can be found here.
Support for the DRA
The DRA has garnered support from a growing and diverse group of organizations. On December 10. 2009 law enforcement and criminal justice leaders, faith organizations, and civil rights organizations all submitted letters to members of Congress in support of the Democracy Restoration Act.
Groups and individuals who support the DRA include:
A Better Way Foundation
Alliance for Justice
The Aleph Institute
American Bar Association
American Civil Liberties Union
American Friends Service Committee
American Humanist Association
Americans for Safe Access
American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate
Asian American Justice Center
ACORN
Theodis Beck
President, Association of State Correctional Administrators
Secretary, North Carolina Department of Corrections
The Billy Graham Center, Institute for Prison Ministries
Black Youth Vote!
Brennan Center for Justice
Jane Browning
Executive Director, International Community Corrections Association
Campaign for America's Future
Campaign for Youth Justice
Catholic Charities USA
Center for the Study of the American Electorate
Church of Scientology
Citizens Against Recidivism
Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism
Crossroad Bible Institute
Demos: A Network for Ideas and Action
Col. Douglas DeLeaver
Former National President, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
Former Chief of Police, Maryland Transit Administration Police Force
Col. Dean Esserman
Chief of Police, Providence Police Department
Drug Policy Alliance
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Faces & Voices of Recovery
FairVote
Fair Elections Legal Network
FedCURE
Felony Entertainment
The Fortune Society
Friends Committee on National Legislation
James Gondles, Jr.
Executive Director, American Correctional Association
Ron Hampton
Executive Director, National Black Police Association
Lisa Holley
President, Association of Paroling Authorities International
Chair, Rhode Island Parole Board
Charles J. Hynes
District Attorney, Kings County, New York
Holistic Opportunity for Personal Empowerment (HOPE)
Interfaith Drug Prevention Initiative
International CURE
Doug Jones
Former U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Alabama
Justice Policy Institute
Justin Jones
Director, Oklahoma Department of Corrections
Peg Lautenschlager
Former Wisconsin Attorney General
Former U.S. Attorney, Western District of Wisconsin
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Leadership Conference for Civil Rights
Legal Action Center
Maryland CURE
Mennonite Central Committee, Washington Office
Tom Miller
Iowa Attorney General
Jorge Montes
Chariman, Illinois Prisoner Review Board
NAACP
National Alliance of Faith and Justice
National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
National Coalition of Black Civic Participation
The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby NOVA Coalition
Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Partnership for Safety and Justice
Penal Reform International
People Advocating Recovery
People for the American Way
Pennsylvania Prison Society
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
Prison Fellowship
Project Vote
Protestants for the Common Good
The Real Cost of Prisons Project
Rehabilitation Through The Arts
Restorative Justice Ministries Network of North America
Rhode Island Family Life Center
Roosevelt University's Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy
Safe Streets Arts Foundation
The Sentencing Project
Sojourners
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
John F. Timoney
President, Board of Directors, Police Executive Research Forum
Chief of Police, Miami Police Department
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
U.S. Dream Academy, Inc.
The Voter Enfranchisement Project of The Bronx Defenders
V.O.T.E. (Voice of the Ex-offender)
Ashbel T. Wall
Director, Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Carl Wicklund
Executive Director, American Probation and Parole Association
Hubert Williams
President, Police Foundation
Former Chief of Police, Newark Police Department
Click here to head back to the Voting After a Criminal Conviction initiative page