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ACLU set to reach out to Kansas felons who may be unaware of right to vote
FILE
FILE(Fort Wayne UAW)
By Sarah Motter
Published: Nov. 27, 2023 at 9:22 AM CST|Updated: 1 hour ago
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (WIBW) - A new campaign is set to reach out to Kansas felons who are unaware that they may still have the right to vote on Election Day.
The ACLU of Kansas says that around 30,000 Kansans who have completed their sentences for felony convictions are unaware that they have the right to vote. To that end, a new effort has been launched to inform them of their restored voting rights, recruit volunteers and to get more voters to the polls.
“Many Kansans don’t know their voting rights have been restored after they complete probation or parole, but the law is clear that they have the right to vote,” said Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the ACLU of Kansas. “We invite everyone in our state, including and especially election and corrections officials, to join us in this work to inform our fellow Kansans when they are eligible and how to register to vote. We should all be resolved to ensure that people who have returned to their families – who are caring for their children, working, and paying taxes – also have a meaningful opportunity and a clear path to make their voices heard, as we continue the ongoing project of building a truly inclusive and accessible democracy.”
According to the organization, under Kansas state law, a felony conviction does not permanently remove one’s right to vote. Instead, once a convicted felon has completed their sentence - including any term of incarceration and supervised release - their voting rights are restored. Requirements of the Kansas Offender Registration Act also do not impact voter ability.
“Felony disenfranchisement laws have an ugly history that cannot be separated from the cruel and racist origins of our country’s carceral system in the post-Civil War era that still disproportionately targets and impacts Black people, people of color, and the poor,” said Eliza Barr, Executive Director of Reaching Out from Within. “Withholding access to vote – even if that’s just through voter confusion or lack of clarity – still prolongs punishment against those who have already served their sentence. When Kansans have had their voting rights restored, we should be enthusiastically empowering them to register to vote if they wish to. Anything short of proactively including system-impacted Kansans in the voting process contradicts what it means for us to be the Free State.”
The ACLU noted that research has found that the restoration of voter rights after felony convictions actually improves public safety. An April 2023 report found a lower likelihood of re-arrest in states where rights are restored. Those with a previous criminal history who do vote were also found to have a lower rate of re-arrest at 12% compared to the 20% who do not vote.
Further research suggests links between the right to vote and civic participation with developing a prosocial identity and the intent to remain crime-free.
“Those of us who have been system-impacted understand the real-life consequences of our state’s policies firsthand and are valuable not in spite of our experiences with the system, but because of them,” said Dr. Latanya Goodloe, Executive Director of Ladies That Lean. “These are perspectives and voices that should be included in our collective decision-making. For many system-impacted people, voting is one way to meaningfully have that second chance and actually return to the community. When a debt is paid, it is paid – and we should be fully and clearly communicating that in our democratic process.”
The ACLU said Kansas is among the half of states with more extreme voting rights restrictions which may also permanently restrict the right to vote post-sentence. Around 24 states, including New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Utah, only restrict the right to vote while someone is in prison. Meanwhile, Vermont, Maine and Washington, D.C have none of those restrictions.
Through this effort, the organization said it plans to connect with and secure pledges to register from at least 2,400 eligible voters. This will rely on significant direct contact with impacted Kansans and volunteer engagement. Those who have been impacted and anyone interested in volunteering with the effort can learn more HERE.
Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved.
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