A criminal conviction can lead to permanent loss of voting rights. Disenfranchising millions of Americans due to a criminal conviction undercuts the promise of democracy and severely weakens the power of communities, particularly those most harmed by the legal system, to meaningfully shape the political bodies that are supposed to represent them.
On the rise is criminal prosecutions that target people for voting or attempting to vote. Many states have enacted laws that in some way disenfranchise voters who have been convicted of a felony. The patchwork of state laws governing the revocation and restoration of voting rights is often complex and obscure, making the restoration of voting rights inaccessible for many with felony convictions. Many individuals with past felony convictions who have earnestly sought to restore their voting rights, disproportionately people of color, are being targeted and prosecuted on voter fraud charges due to the often due to confusing and conflicting information about their voting status.
On Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, NACDL hosted The Criminalization of Voting: Front-End Community Engagement. This webinar features Alison Bloomquist, Vice President of Strategic Alliances & Innovation, National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Daryl McGraw, Founder, Formerly, Inc.; and Ieshaah Murphy, Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Criminal Defense and Racial Justice Clinic, University of the District of Columbia School of Law.
