Post-Incarceration Restoration of Voting Rights
with Garima Malhotra
introduction by Charles Ogletree
The Center filed an amicus brief with the 6th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of the plaintiff’s challenge to Tennessee’s voter restoration law denying voting rights to individuals with felony convictions. Individuals are not eligible to vote until they pay child support arrears and/or restitution.
The Center filed an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit of the US Court of Appeals in support of the plaintiff's challenge to Arizona's statutory provision denying voting rights to individuals with felony convictions. Voting rights are withheld until those individuals have paid any court-ordered fees, fines, or restitution.
Expanding the Vote Abroad, Suppressing It At Home
I can clearly recall the image sprawled across the cover of my local newspaper back in 2005: a photograph of a group of Iraqi women, dressed in niqabs, proudly waving their purple inked thumbs shortly after casting their ballots in the first election following the fall of the Hussein regime.
A Missed Opportunity in Nevada
Today, Gov. Brian Sandoval ignored the bipartisan will of Nevada's elected representatives and vetoed A.B. 301, walking away from a significant opportunity to expand voting rights and realize justice in Nevada. The bill aimed to make Nevada's voting rights restoration process more efficient and help the state move closer to a fair and fully functioning democratic system.
Florida’s Poor to Bear Brunt of New Election Laws
Remember when church groups or boy scout troops could sign up new voters on a card table outside the supermarket? That civic participation will be a thing of the past if Florida lawmakers have their way. Registration groups have already started to indicate that they may just close up shop in Florida because they simply can’t navigate the onerous new burdens on registration drives.
Illustrations by Risko
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.
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.
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.
The Democracy Restoration Act is federal legislation introduced Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Ben Cardin to restore voting rights upon release from prison.
Restoring the Right to Vote in Nevada
Lee Rowland will testify before the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee on March 22, 2011 to support The Right to Vote bill, A.B. 301.
Erika Wood before the New York State Senate Elections Committee
Testimony on Senate Bill 1266, the Voting Rights Notification and Registration Act before the New York State Elections Committee.
It Isn’t Complicated: Restore the Vote to 300,000 Americans
A call to Governor Tim Kaine to use the last few days in his tenure to restore to a huge number of citizens their right to vote.
Legal Analysis of Congress’ Constitutional Authority to Restore Voting Rights
This memo addresses the constitutionality of the Democracy Restoration Act (DRA), which would permit all individuals who are not incarcerated to vote in federal elections, regardless of whether they have a criminal record that makes them ineligible to vote in state elections.
Brennan Center Memo of Support of N.Y. Voting Rights Notification & Registration Act
Brennan Center memo supporting Senate Bill 1266 / Assembly Bill 2266.