Nationally, people of color make up almost half of those incarcerated (Porter, 2020). This is a stifling statistic when compared to the overall percentage of people of color in the United States — 23.7 percent of the population (Jones et al., 2021). Undoubtedly, the justice system in our country is flawed, due to racial disparities caused by mass incarceration and the over-policing of communities. Additionally, the unequal voting rights for convicted felons and the inaccessibility for those to vote while being held in jail awaiting trial undermines democracy and makes reform difficult. Therefore, in order to preserve the democracy of the United States, it is crucial to grant convicted felons equal voting rights. 

Furthermore, enfranchising felons will instill in them the determination to not reoffend following their release from prison. With this idea in mind, researcher Mandeep Dhami (2005) states, “Allowing prisoners to vote… may strengthen their social ties and commitment to the common good, thus promoting legally responsible participation in civil society.” This proves that enabling convicted felons to vote will provide them with connections to their communities outside of prison. These social connections will help felons regain their purpose and sense of self-worth. Moreover, in the article “Many in Jail Can Vote, but Exercising that Right isn’t Easy,” Matt Vasiligambros (2021) quotes Marlena Jentz, the first assistant executive director at Cook County Jail in Chicago. Jentz says, “If we’re going to have a significant role in returning individuals to our communities as stronger citizens, there’s no better way to do that than voting.” This first-hand account of the issue further addresses how allowing incarcerated individuals to vote will strengthen their character by involving them in the democratic process. It is evident that many people take their voting rights for granted, but giving inmates these rights will make them feel that their contributions to society are important, which can lead them to rehabilitate while in prison. That being said, equal voting rights will give felons a higher chance of returning to society as refined citizens, and not committing additional offences. 

Secondly, the disenfranchisement of inmates silences their voices in politics and limits reform within corrections facilities. According to journalist Chandra Bozelko (2019), “That inmates have so little political power has allowed them to be victimized and killed in poorly managed facilities.” This emphasizes how the incarcerated population is often neglected and treated as less than human. Being denied the right to vote will force prisoners to have no say in laws surrounding prison reform even though these laws will directly impact their lives. Bozelko (2019) further claims that “because incarcerated people lack political power, many politicians have deemed them expendable.” Therefore, the impact of disenfranchisement on inmates is significant, as their lives are seen as worthless, simply due to their prior offences. This mindset leaves very little room for incarcerated individuals to rehabilitate. In addition, Dhami (2005) states, “Denying prisoners the right to vote is likely to undermine respect for the rule of law since citizens who cannot participate in the making of laws will probably not recognize their authority.” This displays that not only does disenfranchisement of inmates threaten democracy, but it will cause politicians to not be held accountable for their actions. On that account, granting felons the right to vote will allow them to be heard by political leaders which will ultimately help lead efforts in prison reform. 

By that same token, disenfranchising felons will cause their communities to have diminished political powers. Due to the over-policing of communities, the school to prison pipeline, institutionalized racism, and mass incarceration, people of color are disproportionately present in the criminal justice system. As per the words of Nicole Lewis and Aviva Shen (2019), “The overexposure to the criminal justice system weakens these communities’ political power and makes people less likely to vote, now and in the future, research shows.” This illustrates that not allowing prisoners to vote will also impact their communities by making community members feel that their opinions and beliefs do not matter in the political system. Overall, this will cause marginalized groups to be further oppressed within politics. Additionally, Joel Castón (2021), the first incarcerated individual to ever be elected to public office in Washington, D.C., discusses how giving him a voice has helped give his community a voice as well. Castón (2021) states, “If we can get involved in civic engagement matters and economic principles, then we can begin to move toward a more democratic society.” This statement implies that if we continue to deny incarcerated people their voting rights, we will be moving further away from a more unified nation. Engaging inmates in elections will encourage them to return to their communities and continue their civic participation. Granting convicted felons voting rights will help their communities to grow and have a bigger impact in the politics of our nation. 

On the other hand, some may argue that felons should not be allowed to vote as they cannot be trusted with the responsibility after being convicted of heinous crimes. However, this argument holds little weight because although felons have committed crimes, they are still deserving of the basic human rights that come with being a United States citizen. The ideal prison system is based on the foundation of rehabilitating those who have been sentenced. Allowing incarcerated persons equal voting rights will help promote the idea of rehabilitation within corrections facilities. For example, writer Nicole Porter (2020) declares, “Civic participation has been linked to reduced recidivism and supports public safety goals.” This demonstrates that granting prisoners the civic responsibility of voting will advocate for their rehabilitation and discourage them from reoffending following their release. With voting rights in place for felons, communities across America have the opportunity to become stronger and safer. Also, Castón (2021) states, “If you have an incarcerated population who are functioning in the democratic process, my belief is that that same mindset will follow individuals once they transition back to society.” This statement proves that enfranchising inmates will help them transition back into society effectively, and cause them to be motivated to become more well-rounded citizens. To uphold the beliefs of American democracy, it is imperative we grant all convicted felons equal voting rights. 

On a final note, it is necessary to give convicted felons equal voting rights in order to preserve our democracy. If the incarcerated population is engaged in the democratic process, they are more likely to not reoffend after they are released from prison. Allowing inmates to vote will empower them to return to their communities responsible for the civic duties that come along with being a United States citizen. Also, enfranchisement will give felons a voice in politics, which can help guide political leaders and authority figures as they continue efforts in prison reform. Equal voting rights for felons means creating stronger communities and overall a stronger, more democratic nation. And, although there are many arguments surrounding whether or not inmates should have equal voting rights, it is proven that these fundamental rights will help the incarcerated population turn their lives around for the better. Prison should be a place of rehabilitation, and if equal voting rights are in place, prisons could be more effective in rehabilitating those serving criminal charges. Overall, in our nation, many citizens take voting rights for granted and choose to not cast ballots in federal and national elections. The next time there is an election, think of those in prison who are unable to vote, and vote for politicians who count criminal justice reform as a priority. 

References

Bozelko, C. (2019, April 12). Bernie Sanders Wants Incarcerated People to Vote. Here’s Why He’s Right. Common Dreams. commondreams.org/views/2019/04/12/bernie-sanders-wants-incarcerated-people-vote-heres-why-hes-right

Castón, J. (2021, July 26). A Seat at the Table. Inquest. inquest.org/commissioner-joel-caston-a-seat-at-the-table/

Dhami, M. (2005).  Prisoner Disenfranchisement Policy: A Threat to Democracy? citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.233.2327&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Jones, N., Marks, R., Ramirez, R., & Rios-Vargas M. (2021, August 12). 2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country. United States Census Bureau. census.gov/library/stories/2021/08/improved-race-ethnicity-measures-reveal-united-states-population-much-more-multiracial.html\

Lewis, N. & Shen, A. (2020, October 26). Unlocking the Votes in Jails. The Marshall Project. themarshallproject.org/2020/10/26/unlocking-the-vote-in-jails

Porter, N. (2020, May 7). Voting in Jails. The Sentencing Project. sentencingproject.org/publications/voting-in-jails/

Vasilogambros, M. (2021, July 16).  Many in Jail Can Vote, but Exercising That Right Isn’t Easy. PEW. pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/07/16/many-in-jail-can-vote-but-exercising-that-right-isnt-easy