Denied the right to vote:

Felony disenfranchisement makes our elections less fair

Pamela— Did you know that this November, 4.4 million people in the U.S. will be denied the right to vote because they have a felony conviction on their record? Hundreds of thousands more are eligible to vote but cannot because they are held in jail pretrial. And because of racial bias in arrests, prosecution, and convictions, Black people of voting age are disenfranchised at a rate 3.5 times higher than that of other voters. Pamela, the majority of people barred from voting because of a felony conviction live, work, and participate in their communities. They deserve to have a say in their government. To have a democracy that represents all of us, we need to end felony disenfranchisement.   Join Vera to say you support the voting rights of all system-impacted people. Pamela, today marks the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act—civil rights-era legislation that has been used for decades to safeguard the voting power of Black communities and other marginalized groups. But the fight for an inclusive democracy continues. With election season underway, we must remember that the communities most harmed by mass incarceration should have the right to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Add your name if you agree: to make our democracy stronger, we must end felony disenfranchisement today. In solidarity,  Vera Institute of Justice  © 2024 Vera Institute of Justice. All Rights Reserved.   Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th Street | Suite 4-2A | Brooklyn, NY 11232 (212) 334-1300   Privacy Statement | unsubscribe