Mid-term elections are fast approaching. Your Vote is your Voice!
2018 Mid-terms are fast approaching !
Voting rules are different for every state. The following website will give you ALL the information you need to get registered or update your registration: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
Are you exercising your #ConstitutionalRight to #vote?
Voter ID Requirements
Two-thirds of states request or require that you provide some form of identification before you’re allowed to vote at the polls.
Your state’s laws determine whether you will need to show an ID and if so, what kind. Source: USA.gov
However, there is a caveat to our #righttovote: If you have been convicted of a felony, some states will not allow you to retain your #ConstitutionalRights. Below is a breakdown of each states rules.
States With No Ban on Voting for People Convicted of Felonies
These two states allow those convicted of felonies to vote even while they serve their terms. The voters in these states never lose their rights.
- Maine
- Vermont
States That Ban People Convicted of Felonies From Voting While Incarcerated
These states strip voting rights from people convicted of felonies while they’re serving out their terms but restore them automatically once they are out of prison.
- Washington, D.C.
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
States That Restore Voting Rights to People Convicted of Felonies After Completion of Sentence
These states restore voting rights to those convicted of felony crimes only after they have completed their entire sentences including prison term, parole, and probation.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Some of these states have instituted a waiting period of several years before felons who have completed their sentences can apply to vote again.
States Where the Governor Must Reinstate Voting Rights
In these states, voting rights are not automatically restored and, in most cases, the governor must do it on a case-by-case basis.
- Alabama
- Arizona (repeat offenders)
- Florida
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- Virginia
- Wyoming
Sources
- “Restoring Voting Rights for Former Felons,” Project Vote
- “Felon Voting Rights.” National Conference of State Legislatures
- Stateline.org
Remember, #voting is your #ConstitutionalRight!