American Forum Commentary

People who are convicted of felonies in this state lose the right to vote. Even after they’ve served their time, they cannot vote until they have paid off completely the financial obligations related to their sentence. By state law, those obligations accrue interest at 12 percent a year. The result is that many people earning low incomes continually fall behind.

Further, even if individuals do manage to pay off their debts, the system for restoring their right to vote is extremely cumbersome. It is so convoluted that most people can’t navigate the system without hiring an attorney—something else that favors the affluent.

It’s not fair to continue depriving people of such a basic right simply because they can’t afford to pay their debts. The right to vote is fundamental. We should encourage people to exercise that right and eliminate this barrier to their participation in our democracy.