A Restoration of Voting Rights & Humanity

Abstract

As a nation that has always touted its democratic principles, the United States of America restricts citizens’ right to vote. Voter disenfranchisement laws particularly silence the voices of formerly incarcerated individuals. These laws often restrict or make it harder for formerly incarcerated Americans to vote in federal and state elections. Individuals who have fully completed their sentence continue to face voting obstacles beyond prison that non-incarcerated Americans do not encounter. These laws hamper individuals who have completed their sentences and discriminate against the rights of formerly incarcerated people. This article questions why formerly incarcerated individuals are not eligible to enjoy the same voting rights as their fellow Americans. To combat this unjust treatment, this article proposes an original super-statute: The Voting Rights Restoration Act. This novel proposal ensures that formerly incarcerated individuals will be respected under the law as equal citizens of the United States.