House Committee Will Hold Hearing on Federal Voting Rights

March 16, 2010

March 15, 2010
 

Approximately 5.3 million U.S. citizens cannot vote in federal elections because of a past felony conviction. Introduced in July of 2009, the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 (HR 3335) would ensure that anyone who is not incarcerated would be eligible to vote.

States across the country have different approaches to the enfranchisement of formerly incarcerated individuals. States like Virginia and Kentucky permanently disenfranchize anyone committed of a felony. Other states, like Maine and Vermont, allow all people with felony convictions to vote, even while they're incarcerated. Most other states fall somewhere inbetween.

Oregon restores the voting rights of people once they are released from prison.

Hearing Witnesses include:
Hilary O. Shelton
Director
NAACP Washington Bureau
Washington, DC

Roger Clegg
President and General Counsel
Center for Equal Opportunity
New York, NY

Burt Neuborne
Inez Milholland Professor of Civil Liberties
New York University School of Law
New York, NY

Hans A. von Spakovsky
Senior Legal Fellow
The Heritage Foundation
Washington, DC

Carl Wicklund
Executive Director
American Probation and Parole Association
Lexington, KY

Ion Sancho
Supervisor of Elections - Leon County
Tallahassee FL

Andrés Idarraga
Central Falls, RI



 

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