If we have learned anything from this election cycle, it is that the ability to vote is not as universal as we thought. Women and men across the country have been unable to exercise their civic duty because of election day issues, lost voter registration forms, and inaccessible polling places. It will take a collective effort to right these wrongs, but along with these problems, there is an entire group of people who, because of past crimes, have completely lost their right to vote. Citizen Action of New York believes that we should begin to change the laws around that. In the document below, you will find our letter of support for parole voting a bill we believe can empower the 40,000 plus New Yorkers who deserve to have their voices heard in the democratic process.
Dear Members of the New York State Senate and Assembly:
On behalf of Citizen Action of New York, an organization that advocates for social, racial, economic and environmental justice, I am writing in support of the above referenced legislation sponsored by Assemblymember O’Donnell and Senator Hassell-Thompson to restore the right to vote for New Yorkers on parole. Specifically, this legislation would enable voting upon an individual’s release from incarceration, rather than requiring them to wait, often for years, until he or she has been discharged from parole or reached the maximum expiration date of a sentence.
Voting is a cornerstone of any democracy and the civic duty of the American people. As community leaders, we believe in robust civic participation and the notion that our government is stronger when more people are engaged and vote. As such, we support the expansion of voting rights to people on parole, so that more than 40,000 citizens in New York State can participate in elections and transition from incarceration into productive and engaged members of our communities.
In addition, the restriction of voting rights based on conviction histories disproportionately impacts on people of color. As of 2015, nearly three-quarters of the state’s disenfranchised population was African American or Latino. By restoring the right to vote for people on parole, we can turn back the clock on policies that exclude and stifle the civic participation of Black and Latino New Yorkers.
Fourteen other states and the District of Columbia currently allow people to vote once they are released from incarceration. It’s time for New York to follow suit and restore the vote for all returning citizens.
Very truly yours,
Bob Cohen, Esq.
Policy Director
Letter of Support for Parole Voting by Citizen Action of New York