Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont submitted the legislation, named the Inclusive Democracy Act, on Tuesday which would guarantee the right to vote in federal elections for all citizens regardless of their criminal record.
In a statement, Pressley said the legislation was necessary due to policies and court rulings that “continue to disenfranchise voters from all walks of life — including by gutting the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, cuts to early voting, and more.” Welch called the bill necessary due to “antiquated state felony disenfranchisement laws.”
In late 2022, approximately 4.6 million people were unable to vote due to a felony conviction, according to a study by the Sentencing Project, a nonpartisan research group. The same study found that Black and Hispanic citizens are disproportionately likely to be disenfranchised due to felony
Democracy is a social contract. If you break the terms of the contract by attempting to overthrow democracy, you lose the rights afforded by that contract, like voting.
The problem with that reasoning is that the vast majority of felonies aren’t trying to overthrow a democracy. Punishments should fit the crime.
A DUI shouldn’t stop you from voting, nor should a conviction for being a prostitute. Burglary shouldn’t either. The punishments for each of those felonies should be different and determined case by case. None of them have anything to do with voting.
My friend got busted for an ounce of weed when he was 18 and got a felony (intent to distribute…as if the pothead wasn’t just gonna smoke it all himself).
He’s very politically-conscious and always pushing people to vote. I wasn’t thinking and asked if he wanted to go with me and man…I’ve never seen a smile turn to a frown so fast.
My friend I’m talking about felons charged with trying to over throw the government, not just regular felons. I stated that I agree with felons voting once they paid their sentence. I support reintegration of people that are trying to change their lives.
I’ve worked with 2 strikers and felons and have seen some giving back to the community more than someone that hasn’t done crime. Trying to prevent the youth from ending up the same way.
