LOS ANGELES (AP) — California voters could decide whether to reinstate voting rights to people in prison on felony convictions under a newly proposed constitutional amendment.
It would be a major expansion of suffrage for incarcerated people if passed. California would join Maine and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia, as the only states where felons never lose their right to vote, even while they are in prison, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The California bill, introduced Monday by Assembly Member Isaac Bryan, proposes an amendment to the state constitution. Bryan’s proposal doesn’t include any exemptions based on the crime committed. After decades of disenfranchisement, he said it’s time to open up voting for everyone.
Related links:
State officials discuss voting rights for incarcerated people (video) [news.yahoo.com 4/19/23]
Text and history of ACA-4 Elections: eligibility to vote [leginfo.legislature.ca.gov]
Hear Hear! This needs everyone’s support! This is progress that will reach the far corners of CA. While voter disenfranchisement has a long history in this country as punishment for crimes, it is time those felons who are incarcerated retain the right to vote and have the unabated ability to exercise it while incarcerated. This effort will work to continue that was started in CA by Richardson v. Ramirez (Wikipedia) 51 years ago when Mr. Ramirez was denied voter registration and challenged the CA state constitution then of his voter reg denial. I realize there will be costs associated with this effort for those incarcerated, it is worth it given the fundamental value it has.
Already have one lackey waving the victim card here to stop this effort. Grow up dude!
May this continue to pass all the way to the voters who then pass it by voting.
FYI – For those on Federal Supervised Release: You have voting rights in California for both state and federal elections. VOTE!!
I have voted in every election since I was released from FCI Lompoc. I hope that they do this so that people on parole can vote, as well as those actually behind bars. What about jails? many people there haven’t even been convicted yet. I do think that something should be done about the fact that in California an S.O. cannot be on a jury , because we have a bias against law enforcement, but murderers & other felons can….
California’s voting patterns will always remain the same, with or without the votes of prisoners. The national level is where it counts, and the California enfranchisement legislation will make little difference on that front except boost the nation’s popular vote during presidential elections. But that means nothing. That’s why I hate the electoral college system so much. The “founding fathers” must have been smoking weed when they developed that system. However, prison votes can act as a firewall in Cali against another Sharon Runner who decides rear her ugly head.