Public News Service: Bill aims to restore voting rights for those incarcerated in Alabama, US

Keisha Morris Desir, justice and mass incarceration project manager for Common Cause, said the Inclusive Democracy Act is the first of its kind to include voting rights for people even if they are still behind bars.

“This is the first really expansive bill that would allow everyone — including those who are currently incarcerated, on parole and probation — to vote in a federal election,” Desir explained.

According to the Campaign Legal Center, up to 18 million people who have the right to vote do not cast a ballot due to confusion about their eligibility. Desir said the Inclusive Democracy Act would not only address this issue but remove state-level barriers.

“When we talk about 18 million people, that is the size of New York, approximately,” Desir pointed out. “Think about the entire state of New York being disenfranchised, or not being able to vote and really have a say and who represents them, and who represents their families.”

She noted nearly 60% of voters support laws to guarantee voting eligibility for everyone 18 and older, including people completing sentences, inside or outside of prison. Right now, only two states — Maine and Vermont — along with Washington D.C., allow people behind bars to maintain their voting rights.

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