Press Releases
Voting After Criminal Conviction
Senate Bill Would Restore Voting Rights for Millions of American Citizens
The Brennan Center for Justice and a coalition of allied civil rights advocates lauded Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) today for introducing the Democracy Restoration Act of 2011.
– 12/16/11
Civil Rights Groups Urge Florida Clemency Board Not to Further Restrict Voting Rights
Four of the nation’s premier civil rights organizations sent a letter late Friday to Florida’s Board of Executive Clemency, asking the board not to further restrict Floridians’ voting rights by requiring every individual with a criminal conviction to apply for restoration of their civil rights after a new waiting period that could be as long as five years.
– 03/08/11
New York Passes Landmark Legislation to End Prison-Based Gerrymandering
New York - Last night, the New York State Legislature passed a landmark piece of legislation to end prison-based gerrymandering. This bill comes on the heels of another important policy, passed and signed into law in June, intended to educate people with felony convictions about their right to vote in New York.
– 08/04/10
House Leaders Weigh Restoring Voting Rights for Millions
Today, the House Judiciary Committee meets to consider the Democracy Restoration Act, a bill that would restore the right to vote to nearly 4 million American citizens with a criminal conviction, who are now living and working in the community.
– 03/16/10
New York’s Felon Voting Bar has Deep Roots in Jim Crow
A new study of New York’s constitutional history traces the state’s current felony disenfranchisement law to a century-long effort to keep African-American citizens out of the voting booth.
– 02/12/10
Governor Kaine chooses not to restore the right to vote in Virginia
VA Governor Tim Kaine announced today that he will not use his executive powers before leaving office to restore voting rights to 300,000 Virginians who do not have the right to vote because they were once convicted of a crime. Governor Kaine’s decision leaves these citizens without the right to vote even though they have returned to the community and completed all terms of their sentence.
– 01/15/10
Feingold, Conyers Continue Effort to Restore Voting Rights for Millions of Americans
Senator Feingold and Representative Conyers issue a press release about the Democracy Restoration Act.
– 07/27/09
Democracy Restoration Act Could Restore the Right to Vote for Millions of Americans
On July 24th, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Representative John Conyers (D-MI) introduced the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009, a bill that seeks to restore voting rights in federal elections to nearly 4 million formerly incarcerated American citizens who are out of prison, living in the community.
– 07/27/09
Washington Governor Signs Voting Rights Restoration Act
Right to vote will no longer hinge on economic status.
– 05/04/09
Statement on Election Day
Universal voter registration, contingency plans needed to ensure every eligible vote can cast a vote that counts.
– 11/05/08