Across the country, over 5 million people who are of voting age cannot vote because of felony disenfranchisement laws, including one in five Black Americans. These laws are a relic of the Jim Crow era, and were intentionally designed to suppress the vote — particularly the Black vote — by limiting the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
This week, Demetrius Jifunza, Lewis Conway, and Jennifer Taylor join us on At the Polls to share how these laws have impacted them personally after incarceration, and how states are fighting back. Listen to the podcast to learn more.
At the Polls: Why do we take voting rights away in America?
At the Polls: Why do we take voting rights away in America?
Over 5 million Americans are kept from the polls by laws that prohibit people with felony convictions from voting. While the intricacies of these laws vary from state to state, people who have been convicted of a felony are blocked from voting in ...
Over 5 million Americans are kept from the polls by laws that prohibit people with felony convictions from voting. While the intricacies of these laws vary from state to state, people who have been convicted of a felony are blocked from voting in ...
Losing the right to vote isn’t the only way a felony conviction can derail life, long after a person completes their sentence. Having a criminal record can make it more difficult to get a job, secure housing, access health care, or even care for one’s children. These obstacles stand in the way of formerly incarcerated people trying to reenter society and rebuild their lives.
The good news is that several states are reforming felony disenfranchisement laws, often with bipartisan support. Listen to this week’s episode of At the Polls and subscribe to learn more about felony disenfranchisement and what’s being done to stop this voter suppression.
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