Just last week was Super Tuesday, a time when many Princetonians got a chance to express their power as citizens and voted. Now that many of us have had a say in the future direction of the country, it is important not to overlook a segment of the population that unfortunately has no voice in this hotly contested election: millions of disenfranchised convicted felons who have completed their prison sentences. This topic may seem distant to generally law-abiding college students headed for degrees, jobs and success. But our privileged situation does not change the flimsy rationale for denying felons the right to vote. In such a close primary season, small changes in voter eligibility can lead to an entirely different election result.
A startling 4.7 million people were prevented from voting in 2005 because of felon-disenfranchisement laws. Yet more than half are no longer in jail or prison. These people have served their time and paid their debt to society but cannot act as full-fledged citizens. Once felons leave prison, they should have their right to vote restored, but only 15 states and the District of Columbia currently permit felons to vote again.
The laws surrounding the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated felons vary widely by state. Twenty-four states disallow some portion of convicted felons from voting, such as those on probation or parole. These individuals are residents of their communities, but they cannot have a say in their direction because they do not have the right to vote.
Eleven states are even more restrictive, requiring felons to submit petitions and endure waiting periods before getting the right to vote. The length of the waiting period can depend upon the severity of the crime, creating a complicated system difficult for former criminals and even the parole board itself to navigate. Not surprisingly, formerly incarcerated felons in these states register at extremely low rates; the “best” state —Florida — has a rate of about 10 percent, and most others hover around 2 percent.
Former convicts already contend with all the other problems of reentering society. These include finding housing and a job in a market that strongly discriminates against those with a criminal record. Due to the abnormally high rate of incarceration in America, these arcane voting rules affect a larger percentage of the population than elsewhere. America is home to five percent of the world’s population, yet it accounts for 25 percent of its prisoners. Our incarceration rate is five to 12 times as high as European countries’.
Reforming the criminal justice system to incarcerate fewer individuals is problematic in its own right, but it also increases the importance of amending voting laws to allow released felons to vote. Because felons are more likely to be minorities and live in lower-income neighborhoods, these issues affect some communities more than others: Thirteen percent of black men — seven times the national average — are disenfranchised. Thus, significant portions of communities cannot vote and help decide the direction of their neighborhoods.
Some argue that released felons are still being punished and should not have the “privilege” to vote. But voting is a right — not a privilege — for all citizens. Once felons are released from jail, they should have the ability to rebuild their lives and have a say in the political process of their communities. Many groups back this position, including the Right to Vote Campaign run by the Sentencing Project, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School. The American Bar Association also supports restoration of voting rights after release from prison.
The Roosevelt Institution, a student-run think tank, has decided to tackle this issue. Each year it chooses three “Roosevelt Challenges” to confront, and this year all three are related to prisoner disenfranchisement: reforming the criminal justice system, improving the voting process in America and creating innovative strategies to achieve community development. The Princeton chapter is proposing ideas, and we’re looking for new members who also want to be heard.
You have a chance to make this issue relevant in the 2008 campaign. Propose policies or tell politicians that it’s ok to give voting rights back to individuals who have already served their time. So on Super Tuesday 2012 (which may be sometime in 2011, given how the primary season seems to start earlier each election) those who were previously incarcerated can have a say in the future direction of their communities and their country.
James Coan is the president of the Princeton chapter of the Roosevelt Institution. He can be reached at jcoan@princeton.edu.
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