Prisoners in Just Two States Can Vote. Here's Why Few Do
When Sen. Bernie Sanders championed voting rights for prisoners during a CNN town hall, he spotlighted an intensifying national debate about why going to prison means losing the right to vote.
Only two states in the country allow incarcerated people to vote: Sanders’ home state of Vermont and its neighbor, Maine. Sanders is the sole presidential candidate to support the idea. His stance may reflect the reality that these states have long-established procedures, and general public acceptance, of people voting from behind bars.
The idea is percolating in other states, however. In June, six of the 13 councilmembers in endorsed legislation that would let the city’s prisoners vote. Legislators in , , and introduced measures to allow prisoners to vote earlier this year. None succeeded, but several others states are making for parolees. And, last year, voters in Florida re-enfranchised nearly 1.5 million residents with felony convictions while Louisiana for nearly 36,000 people convicted of felonies. Lawmakers are still considering similar proposals in and
