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On July 17, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued a controversial opinion that the state Pardons Board has sole authority to restore the voting rights of Nebraskans who have served their sentences for felony convictions. In April, the state legislature passed a bill (LB20) lifting a two-year waiting period in order to allow those who have completed their sentences to vote immediately.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the National Voting In Prison Coalition (NVPC), a group of organizations dedicated to dismantling barriers to voting rights, objects to the recent legal efforts in Nebraska and Mississippi which undermine the voting rights of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system.

Today, 44 organizations representing the National Voting in Prison Coalition sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives urging them to co-sponsor the Inclusive Democracy Act (IDA), legislation to end felony disenfranchisement in federal elections for individuals completing their sentence inside and outside of prison and jail. The IDA was introduced earlier this year by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-7). Currently, the IDA has 23 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and is awaiting a hearing.

With the 2024 primaries underway and the general election fast approaching, Common Cause is pleased to announce Jay Young as its Senior Director of Voting & Democracy. In the newly-created position, he will oversee the organization’s legislative, operational, and legal strategies to advance reforms that allow all Americans to participate in elections and to oppose efforts to restrict voting rights.

In a landmark move to expand voting rights and bolster democratic participation, Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Senator Peter Welch (VT) today introduced the Inclusive Democracy Act of 2023. This groundbreaking legislation seeks to eliminate the discriminatory practice of felony disenfranchisement for federal elections, ensuring that all Americans, regardless of a criminal conviction, have the fundamental right to vote.  

Today, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Inclusive Democracy Act of 2023, a bill to end felony disenfranchisement. This groundbreaking legislation seeks to eliminate the discriminatory practice of felony disenfranchisement for federal elections, ensuring that all Americans, regardless of a criminal conviction, have the fundamental right to vote.