A mistake Rynn Young made decades ago, when he was just a teenager, cost him the right to vote.
Twenty-one years after his drug possession conviction, he got his ballot back when newly elected Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order last month restoring voting rights to nonviolent felons after release.
“It’s been a very long time coming,” Young said at the signing ceremony in Frankfort, Kentucky, surrounded by civil rights leaders. “I’ve never had the right to vote. My words have always fallen on deaf ears … I appreciate the opportunity for a second chance, just to be heard.”
This was one of Beshear’s first acts as governor. Two days earlier, he announced at his inauguration that he would restore the right to vote for 140,000 “men and women who have done wrong in the past but are doing right now.” His Christian faith, he said, teaches him forgiveness.
“They deserve to participate in our great democracy,” he told the inaugural crowd in front of the state Capitol in Frankfort.
Kentucky joined 17 other states that have restored voting rights over the past several decades to felons after they leave prison. In every state except Maine and Vermont, felons are stripped of their voting rights while in prison. In most states, that ban remains for a certain period (Iowa has a lifetime ban, unless reversed by the governor) after they are released, disenfranchising millions of people.
In the past year, however, six states implemented measures restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions.
This shift is part of a broader reaction against the tough-on-crime policies of the 1980s and 1990s. Across the political spectrum, more people are questioning the incarceration of nonviolent offenders and backing anti-recidivism efforts.
“The vast majority of people disenfranchised live in our communities, own homes and pay taxes,” said Sarah Shannon, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Georgia who has studied the impact of reinstating voting rights to felons. “They’re not behind bars. So, what is it that’s stopping us from allowing those folks from fully participating in our democracy?”
Still, strong opposition remains from lawmakers and election integrity advocates who say felons made a choice and must live with the consequences. Other opponents say these measures are ploys by Democrats to gain more voters, a charge Democrats deny.
Long Time Coming
For some former convicts, activists and lawmakers, last year’s success was the culmination of years of effort. In New Jersey, for example, Democratic state Rep. Shavonda Sumter has lobbied her colleagues since she took office in 2012, slowly building an appetite for action.
In December, New Jersey enfranchised people with felony convictions. The measure, which applies to people who leave prison but are still on parole or probation, restored the voting rights of 80,000 people.
Sumter, who sponsored the measure, told Stateline she is proud to have changed a policy that was “inherently, systematically wrong.” African Americans are far more likely to be incarcerated and disenfranchised in New Jersey than residents of other races, according to data compiled by the Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based criminal justice nonprofit.
“When we start carving people out just because of a crime they committed that had nothing to do with voting, we start stripping them of humanity,” Sumter said.
She hopes that on Election Day in November, she can walk around her hometown of Paterson, handing out “I Voted” stickers, and not have disenfranchised constituents tell her they can’t accept one.
But Republican state Rep. Hal Wirths, who previously served on a New Jersey parole board, voted against the measure. He says those on parole or probation haven’t yet served their sentences and shouldn’t be allowed to vote until they do. Around 20 states allow felons to re-register to vote after their parole or probation period and after they’ve paid any fines.
“I believe in everyone getting second chances,” Wirths said. “We all make mistakes. The main thing here is that they haven’t finished their sentences yet.”
In California and Iowa, measures to restore voting rights to felons made it through one legislative chamber but stalled in the other amid disagreement over whether to include felons with murder or rape convictions. Legislation in New Mexico stalled after making it out of committee, while measures in six other states didn’t progress.
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CB from PC says
The Democrats have ZERO to offer hard-working taxpayers, except the prospect of more taxes to pay for their programs for freeloaders.
Flooding the ballot boxes with the votes of convicted Felons is the only way they can insure remaining in control.
Those of you Democrats with money invested in “the Market” would do well to remember the eight years of financial stagnation under good old “44”.
Mike Cocchiola says
CB… I don’t know where you get your information, perhaps Fox Nonsense or maybe you just drop your drawers and reach around, but think for once about what you’re saying. First, there are no freeloaders. Dems are proposing new green energy programs that promise future jobs for our citizens. Some propose forgiving student loans so our young graduates have enough money to buy homes and start families which boosts our economy. Some propose fully funding college programs to help our young people compete against their European, Indian and Asian counterparts. All propose sensible gun regulations, fair-share taxes, and financial controls to protect our people against fraud and abuse. No freeloaders there.
As for ‘convicted felons”, voting rights are restored to those who have served their sentences and paid their debt to society. Would you forever deny them their basic right to vote? Where is your Christian forgiveness? After all, you have forgiven Trump’s many egregious transgressions.
And now “good old “44”. Some verifiable facts… Obama’s last three-year job growth is higher than Trump’s three years in office. Under Obama, unemployment dropped from a high of roughly 10% when he took over to 4.5% when he left office. Obama cut the annual deficit down to under $500b. Median household income under Obama rose almost 20% after the Great Recession was over. The stock market under Obama has vastly outperformed that under Trump. By the end of October 2011, the S&P 500 hit 156% of the value it had on Obama’s first day, which means the index increased by 56%. Under Trump, the increase was 34%, or 22 percentage points lower than the gain under Obama.
So… “stagnant’? Hardly. Pull up your pants, CB, and stop watching Fox. Get the facts.
Alphonse Abonte says
All b.s. Green New Deal? Sure, have the reach around democrats get your wallet, without even a kiss! Student loans on degrees that are worthless, get a vocational degree and get a real job. All the Dems will do is destroy America. Look at the cities run by Dems ,Chicago, New York, L.A. , San Francisco, and there are 30 more. So, tell us what Dems have done in the last three years that have made our lives better. Wasting time and money on TDS does not count. Your brainwashed by the media. “Paying their debt to society” includes financial. Your Dems have nothing to offer in the next election. Then what? Dems have wasted three years. Healthcare, drug prices to name couple of items that could have been addressed. But NOOOO! Collusion, impeachment. Just Dems adding to Trumps victory in 2020. All 435 seats are up for grabs, bet Dems lose the majority. Just saying.
Dave says
Florida is obviously a state where they trample our constitutional rights over and over, from felons voting rights being stalled, to medical marijuana being stalled, to gun control asked for by the people being held up. They give us nothing we vote for yet claim it’s a free state. I’m sorry to tell you but if you live here in florida you have no rights and voting doesnt matter, they will take away our marijuana medicine and allow people to walk around with guns while holding our right to vote hostage
Mike Cocchiola says
This is Floriduh… where democracy goes to die.
Percy's mother says
Perhaps Washington DC is better? Why choose a location to retire to “where democracy goes to die” when you came from Washington DC?
Jane GentileYoud says
Although I am ‘registered’ Republican I cannot agree more with Mike Cocchiola ( whose heart is even bigger than his mouth) and I very much agree with ‘Dave’
It’s all about MONEY MONEY MONEY and their shinning gold mines: LOBBYISTS and PACS. ” We the people” is not in our legislature’s vocabulary, nor included in any of their ‘bills’ or wish lists – not any more.group
What p…….s me off really is this so-called group of gun-toting religious Trump wannabes.. ( yes I voted for Trump and will vote for him again most probably) are mostly well oiled hypocrites as well as ignorant jackasses.
* God created marijuana -God did not create booze nor guns.
If you paid with your life in jail, probation, etc as sentenced why do you have to pay MONEY you may not have to be able to vote for the jackasses who don’t represent you anyway. I can understand requiring a certain amount of time required for civil service to the public in lieu of MONEY MONEY MONEY. There are plenty of municipal projects and maintenance needs everywhere and it makes more sense to ‘sentence a person to X number if hours for community service in lieu of punishing someone by holding their vote hostage until they pay MONEY MONEY MONEY. Community service work would save taxpayer dollars as well but who cares about anything other than MONEY MONEY MONEY in Tallahassee.