New Sentencing Project report on voting rights restoration
The Sentencing Project has a new report, Barred for Life: Voting Rights Restoration in Permanent Disenfranchisement States, that examines the rights restoration process in the 14 states in which disenfranchisement may last for a lifetime. The study finds that in 11 of these states, less than 3% of disenfranchised persons have had their rights restored in recent years. Here's what it says about Alabama:
Estimated Number of Disenfranchised Ex-Felons: 148,830
Felony Disenfranchisement Laws and the Process of Restoration
Alabama disenfranchises all people who are convicted of a crime involving “moral turpitude,” a list which includes all felonies. In 2003, the state passed legislation to streamline the process of restoring voting rights. Individuals seeking to regain their right to vote can now apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote from the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Board is obligated to issue a certificate within 45 days if all requirements are satisfied.
The process is generally only available to persons convicted of non-violent offenses. Persons with a conviction for a violent offense and certain other offenses are required to apply for a pardon from the Board of Pardons and Parole.
Reenfranchisement Activity — Restorations: 1,697 (estimated, 2004)
As of September 2004, 1,697 persons had received their Certificate of Eligibility, and an additional 5,000 requests were still pending.4 These figures are the result of the law change in 2003 and a vigorous advocacy campaign by community organizations to inform eligible people of the rights restoration process. State officials have reported that they have insufficient staff to handle the volume of applications and that the 45-day time period may not always be met.