State-Based Advocacy
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.
This case challenges a Washington State law preventing people with felony convictions who cannot pay their legal financial obligations from regaining their right to vote.
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.
Nevada Right to Vote Bill Passes Committee with Unanimous Support
Last night, in a decisive, bipartisan victory for voting rights, the Nevada Assembly’s Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections unanimously voted Assembly Bill 301 to the floor of the House. The bill will streamline and simplify Nevada’s unbelievably complicated patchwork of laws governing the restoration of the right to vote after a criminal conviction, and it automatically restores voting rights to anyone who honorably completes a felony sentence of imprisonment, probation, or parole.
New York Passes Two Landmark Democracy Reforms
This summer the New York legislature took decisive action to create two important policy reforms: requiring that people in prison be allocated to their home communities for redistricting purposes; and requiring criminal justice agencies to provide voting rights information to people who are again eligible to vote after a felony conviction.
Illustrations by Risko
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.
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.
Washington Governor Signs Voting Rights Restoration Act
Right to vote will no longer hinge on economic status.
Testimony in Support of Nevada AB 301
Lee Rowland gave testimony in Nevada in support of AB 301. The American Probation and Parole Association also submitted testimony in support of the bill.
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.
A law enacted nearly 140 years ago—intended to disenfranchise African-Americans—is still in effect here today in New York.
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.
Brennan Center Memo of Support of N.Y. Voting Rights Notification & Registration Act
Brennan Center memo supporting Senate Bill 1266 / Assembly Bill 2266.