MEDC 2009 Position on Automatic Restoration of Voting Rights

Background

More than 3 million people in Washington participated in our federal, state and local elections of 2008. But there are more than 167,000 Washington citizens who are prohibited from engaging in this most essential part of democracy because of our state’s unnecessarily complicated system for restoring voting rights. Poor people and people of color are hit the hardest, with 17% of African Americans and 10% of the voting age Latino population prevented from voting under our current laws.

Issue

Citizens who have been released from the Department of Corrections can regain their voting rights only after paying off Legal Financial Obligations – fees and other costs associated with their sentence. But with a 12% interest upon conviction, it is virtually impossible for anyone to pay these fees. Even after citizens have paid these associated costs, it can still take nine separate steps, involving state and county officials and several forms and petitions, to regain their vote. In fact, there are at least five different ways to regain the right to vote, depending on when and where the person was sentenced.

Our democratic society should not have a “poll tax” preventing citizens from voting. Currently, twelve other states, including Oregon and the District of Columbia automatically return the right to vote to citizens upon their release from prison.

Under the current system, many people coming out of the criminal justice system find their debt increasing despite making monthly payments. The right to vote should never be tied to a person’s financial means. This system should be reformed by restoring voting rights to citizens automatically upon release from prison.

Action/Legislative Request

Pass House Bill 1517 and Senate Bill 5534 and automatically restore the voting rights to citizens upon release from the Department of Corrections.

Automatic Restoration of Voting Rights:

  • reduces the risk of reoffending,
  • separates personal financial circumstances from one’s right to vote, and
  • provides a Bright Line for Elections officials – it simplifies a complicated, costly and ineffective process.

Automatic restoration works in other states!

Washington’s current felony disenfranchisement law is one of the harshest in the United States and has a devastating impact on communities of color, far worse than neighboring states in the region.
- WA Voting Rights Restoration Coalition