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Felon disfranchisement laws are laws in which the right to vote is either temporarily or permanent rescinded during and/or after a prison sentence. For the affected individual, there are "collateral consequences". Collateral consequences include loss of access to jobs, housing, and various government programs. The community the person who is a felon returns to may be unaware the collateral consequences to the community including lower percentages of community members who participate in the political process through voting.

Approximately thirteen percent of the United States' population is African American, yet African Americans make up thirty-eight percent of the prison population. Slightly more than fifteen percent of United States population is Hispanic, while twenty percent of the prison population is Hispanic. People who are felons are disproportionately people of color. Felon disenfranchisement laws disproportionately affect communities of color as "they are disproportionately arrested, convicted, and subsequently denied the right to vote". Research has shown in some minority communities, as much as 10 percent of their population unable to vote as a result of felon disfranchisement.

The presence of disenfranchised community members may affect social norms related voting. "The process of political socialization has the potential to encourage or discourage political participation among eligible voters...the potential for nonfelons living in states with criminal policy regimes that exclude ex-felons from voting to be socialized against political participation, and thus be less likely to participate themselves is suggested". Research shows the affect of felon disenfranchisement is greater in black communities than in non-Hispanic white communities. The likelihood of a non-felon, non-Hispanic white person voting is not affected by having felons in the community.

Felony disenfranchisement has the potential to affect the outcomes of election. "An analysis of recent election data revealed that at least seven senatorial elections and one presidential election would have been decided differently if convicted felons had retained suffrage".

Restoration of Voting rights for people who are ex-offenders varies across the untied states. Primary lassisfication of voting rights include:

Unrestricted Disensfrancisement ends after term of incarceration is complete Disenfrancisment ends after term of incarceration and completion of parole Disenfrancisment endd after terms of incarceration, completion of parole, and completion of probartion Disenfrancisment never ends or ends only by order of Governor or Board

In the United States, discrepencies in the between states suffrage laws with respect to felony conviction as there is no ferderal law which mandates includsion or exclusion of sufferage ex-offenders. Hunter v. Underwood and Richardson v. Ramirez are two landmark Supreme Court of the United States Cases related to felony disenfranchisement. In Richardson v. Ramirez the Supreme Court of the United States "ruled that a criminal record was a factor that a state could lawfully take into consideration in determining the qualifications of voters"..

In Hunter v. Underwood, the Surpeme Court struck down Alabama's law allowing voter disenfrancisment after a felony "because the statute that restricted appellees' ability to vote had an impermissible racial motivation and a racially discriminatory impact was demonstrated, therefore, the statute was unconstitutional" http://0-www.lexisnexis.com.wncln.wncln.org/hottopics/lnacademic/?..

Unrestricted
Maine with and Vermont are the only states with unrestricted voting rights for people who are felons. Both states allow the person to vote during incarceration, via Absentee ballot and after terms of conviction end.

Disfranchisement Ends After Release From Prison
In Thirteen states and the District of Columbia, disenfranchisement ends after after incarceration is complete.
 * District of Columbia
 * Hawaii
 * Illinois
 * Indiana
 * Massachusetts
 * Michigan
 * Montana
 * New Hampshire
 * North Dakota
 * Ohio
 * Oregon
 * Pennsylvania
 * Rhode Island
 * Utah

Disfranchisement ends after term of incarceration and completion of parole

 * California
 * Colorado
 * Connecticut
 * New York
 * South Dakota

Disfranchisement Ends After Terms of Incarceration, Completion of Parole, and Completion of Probation

 * Alaska
 * Arizona(for first time felony offenders)
 * Arkansas
 * Georgia
 * Idaho
 * Kansas
 * Louisiana
 * Maryland
 * Minnesota
 * Missouri
 * Nebraska (Two years after completion of above term)
 * Nevada First time and non-violent offenders all others may, "petition a court of competent jurisdiction for an order granting the restoration of his or her civil rights"
 * New Jersey
 * New Mexico
 * North Carolina
 * Oklahoma
 * South Carolina
 * Texas
 * Washington
 * West Virginia* (If you have willfully failed to make three payments in a 12 month period on legal financial obiligations, the prosecutor can request the court to revoke your voting rights)
 * Wisconsin

Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction and/or the outcome of an individual petition or application to the government

 * Alabama All applicants are not eligible for voter rights restoration. To be eligible for voter rights to be restored, the applicant cannot have convictions listed below:
 * Impeachment, Murder, Rape (any degree) ,
 * Sodomy (any degree), Sexual Abuse (any degree) ,
 * Incest, Sexual Torture ,
 * Enticing a Child to Enter a Vehicle for Immoral Purposes ,
 * Soliciting a Child by Computer ,
 * Production of Obscene Matter Involving a Minor ,
 * Production of Obscene Matter ,
 * Parents or Guardians Permitting Children to Engage in Obscene Matter ,
 * Possession of Obscene Matter ,
 * Possession with Intent to Distribute Child Pornography or
 * Treason


 * Delaware
 * those persons who were convicted of any felony of murder or manslaughter (except vehicular homicide)
 * those persons who were convicted of any felony constituting an offense against public administration involving bribery or improper influence or abuse of office, or any like offense under the laws of any state or local jurisdictionof the United States, or of the District of Columbia; or
 * those persons who were convicted of any felony constituting a sexual offense, or any like offense under the laws of any state or local jurisdiction or of the United States or of the District of Columbia.


 * Mississippi - Suffrage can be restored if "The legislature may, by a two-thirds vote of both houses, of all members elected, restore the right of suffrage to any person disqualified by reason of crime; but the reasons therefor shall be spread upon the journals, and the vote shall be by yeas and nays."
 * murder
 * rape,
 * bribery,
 * theft,
 * arson,
 * obtaining money or goods under false pretense,
 * perjury,
 * forgery,
 * embezzlement
 * bigamy,
 * Tennessee - Disenfranchisement ends after terms of incarceration, completion of parole, and completion of probation. In addition, the person must pay "Any court order restitution paid; current in the payment of any child support obligations; and/or Any court ordered court costs paid".  The ex-offender must then either obtain a court order restoring their right to vote or complete the certificate of restoration of voting rights.


 * Wyoming - Disenfranchisement ends if the crime committed was nonviolent; the person has only been convicted of one felony;it has been five years after completion of terms of incarceration, completion of parole and completion of probation; and the person submits an application in writing to the state board of parole. However, it is up to the discretion of the parole board is rights are reinstated.

Voting rights can ONLY be restored through an individual petition or application to the government
hearing with the clemency board. In those cases, disfranchisement ends after it has been five years after completion of terms of incarceration, completion of parole and completion of probation. An application must be submitted to the court. For those with serious crimes, after seven years, the Florida Executive Clemency Board will decide whether or not to restore voting rights after receiving an application from the ex-offender.
 * Florida - Voting rights are restored by the Florida Board of Executive Clemency. Less serious crimes do not require a


 * Iowa

Only the governor an reinstate Civil Rights. The ex-offender must complete "Application for Restoration of Civil Rights". Then it at the governor's discretion are rights restored.
 * Kentucky

The governor can approve or deny the application for restoration of voting rights.
 * Virginia - Disenfrancisment ends if the ex-offender is:
 * "free from any sentence served or supervised probation and parole for a minimum of two years for a non-violent offense or five years for a violent felony or drug distribution, drug manufacturing offense, any crimes against a minor, or an election law offense
 * has paid all court costs, fines, penalties and restitution and have no felony or misdemeanor charges pending; not have had a DWI in the five years immediately preceding the application
 * Not have any misdemeanor convictions and/or pending criminal charges 2 years preceding the application for non-violent felonies or five years for a violent felony or drug distribution, drug manufacturing offense, any crimes against a minor, or an election law offense"