Nebraska and Oklahoma are restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions, potentially impacting election outcomes. In Nebraska, a new law eliminates a waiting period and restores voting rights to about 7,000 individuals. Despite initial opposition, the Nebraska Supreme Court has mandated the implementation of the law, allowing newly enfranchised Nebraskans to register by the upcoming deadline. Oklahoma is also clarifying voting eligibility for individuals with previous felony convictions, ensuring the right to vote upon receiving a pardon or commutation. These changes come as other states like North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have imposed new restrictions on voting rights for individuals with felony convictions. Historically, felony disenfranchisement laws were established to disenfranchise Black men after the Civil War. Today, laws vary by state, with some restoring voting rights upon release from prison and others requiring additional conditions such as receiving a pardon or completing probation. In Maine, Vermont, and the District of Columbia, felons never lose their right to vote. While incarcerated individuals may still have the right to vote in many states, barriers such as registering and accessing absentee ballots may prevent them from exercising their constitutional right. Despite these obstacles, tens of thousands of previously disenfranchised voters will now have the opportunity to cast ballots in the upcoming elections.
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Residents with felony convictions in Oklahoma regain voting rights due to new laws
