National: Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 Introduced The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 was introduced last week, a measure that would restore voting rights to millions of Americans with felony convictions. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Chairman Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced the bills in both chambers of Congress. An estimated 5.3 million citizens cannot vote as a result of felony convictions, and nearly 4 million of those individuals are living and working in their communities. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 would establish a uniform standard restoring voting rights in federal elections to anyone who is not incarcerated. Rhode Island: Rhode Island Study Shows Probation/Parolee Electoral Participation A new analysis released by the Family Life Center of Rhode Island demonstrates a high level of interest in the electoral process by persons on probation or parole. Following a 2006 ballot change in the state law, 6,330 probationers and parolees - representing more than a third of the 17,600 state total - registered to vote during the 2008 election cycle. Of these, 3,001 voted during that time. The Family Life Center has since initiated a broad outreach campaign to inform the community of the reform and to register people with felony convictions. In addition, the Department of Corrections now acts as a voter registration agency and offers all inmates the opportunity to register following their discharge. The results of the outreach campaign in Rhode Island demonstrate that substantial numbers of people who have come through the criminal justice system have an interest in becoming involved in the electoral process. Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project, spoke on the Family Life Center's efforts at the organization's annual meeting. "What the Family Life Center has done is an inspiration to all of us on the national stage," Mauer was quoted a saying in the Providence Journal. "We haven't had the numbers before to make the case," he said. "It sends a message. This is a real accomplishment; something we can all learn from." The Family Life Center this week has changed its name to OPENDOORS, but will still continue its mission to aid formerly incarcerated people in their transition to the community. Washington State: "Modern-day Poll Tax" No Longer Keeps Residents from the Poll The state of Washington recently eliminated the ban on voting for individuals with felony convictions who had not paid all financial obligations associated with their sentence. The ACLU of Washington will now launch "Promote the Vote" in Seattle and Tacoma to celebrate the new law and educate newly enfranchised Washingtonians about their rights. Pennsylvania: ACLU Wins Lawsuit Over Bus Ads The ACLU of Pennsylvania is "thrilled" that a federal judge ruled in its favor in a lawsuit that claimed the removal of voting rights ads created for public buses was discriminatory, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The ACLU said the Port Authority unlawfully refused to accept its advertisements designed to inform the public that residents with felony convictions have the right to vote. "The testimony and evidence presented at trial clearly demonstrated that the defendants accepted numerous advertisements for display on Port Authority vehicles which had content similar to plaintiffs' proposed advertisement and which were not truly commercial in nature," Judge Terrence McVerry wrote. An op-ed column published in the Patriot-News supported a bill that would require prisons to provide voter registration forms to inmates prior to release. Kathryn Boockvar, senior attorney with the Advancement Project, stated that the bill instills "knowledge about and encouragement of voting." community and become productive members of society. "I also believe that assisting the formerly incarcerated with voting is the right thing to do from an ethical perspective," she wrote. "This is a nation that believes in redemption. If you commit a crime, pay your penance, and do your time, ours is a society that generally says: your past wrongs will be forgiven. This bill builds on this notion, by giving individuals some tools and incentives to take a path of rehabilitation, rather than the path of recidivism." The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee passed HB 1072 out of committee by a 20-3 vote, clearing the way for the bill to go to the House floor for a vote. Wisconsin: Proposed Legislation Gains Conservative Support Well-known Wisconsin conservative, James Wigderson, has publicly taken a stance in support of vote restoration in an editorial published in the Waukesha Freeman. Noting that disenfranchisement affects about 42,000 state residents - Black and white - Wigderson suggests that restoring rights upon leaving prison benefits the state budget, and the individuals hoping to reintegrate into society. "By releasing them from prison our society is already making the statement that these felons should be re-integrated into society, and that there is some social good in doing so," he writes. "That re-integration process should include voting. Again, according to the ACLU, felons who vote are half as likely to re-offend as felons who do not vote. We may argue which is the cause and which is the effect, but the relationship is there, and it's not hard to understand why." Florida: ACLU Workshop Helps Residents Restore Civil Rights The Florida ACLU hosted a civil rights restoration workshop in an effort to reintegrate residents with felony offenses back into their communities. Since Governor Charlie Crist streamlined the process for individuals to regain their civil rights, more than 145,000 people are now able to vote, WESH2 reported. One workshop attendee, Sean Johnson, left the gathering with his civil rights restored. "The process is very tedious," he said. "I have applied, but until today, I haven't had any luck." There remain, however, 60,000 applications that are still pending due to Florida Parole Commission budget cuts that have reduced its staff from 13 to five, the Orlando Sentinel reported. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org