Can Felons Vote?
One question that often gets lost when elections come around is “can felons vote?” Felons are individuals who went on trial and have been convicted of a crime or multiple crimes. After trial they go off to jail and serve their time. However, when they are released, not all of their privileges are restored. Though convicted criminals have gone through the judicial process and have served the time they have been required, a majority of them will not be able to vote.
The distinct lack of a felons vote can be seen in each state and throughout the nation. Millions of people lose their ability to vote once they become convicted criminals. Each state outlines their own process for determining who is eligible to vote. For some states, a felons vote can be done with people who have been convicted of lesser offenses regarding criminal acts. However, in many states anyone who has committed a felony can lose their privilege to vote.
When it comes to the reasons why convicted criminals are left out of the voting process, there are many advocates for keeping a felons vote out of the system with the rationale that a criminal has already show a distinct lack of regard for the law, and because of this, they should not be allowed to have the privilege of casting a decision regarding who is the head of the state. Now this is not necessarily the feeling of all politicians and law makers, but it is one that has been professed before, and continues to be advocated for. So, simply speaking, a majority of convicted criminals, mainly high-end felons, are not allowed to vote.
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