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Featured issue: Voting rights for convicted criminals
Voting rights for convicted felons vary substantially from state to state. In 45 states (as well as Washington, D.C.), convicted criminals cannot vote while they are incarcerated, but they may regain the right to vote upon their release or at some point thereafter. In two states—Maine and Vermont—criminals retain the right to vote even during incarceration. In three states—Florida, Iowa and Kentucky—convicted felons never regain the right to vote.
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Learn about the Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia.
Laws governing hot-button electoral issues, including early voting, absentee voting and voter identification requirements, are set by the states. Consequently, voting regulations differ significantly from state to state. To learn more about the voting laws in your area, select your state from the map at the left.
- For a list of all electoral policy articles on Ballotpedia see the Election Policy Index.
Key terms and concepts
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act is a federal law that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. The act was passed in 1965 with the intent of enforcing the Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The act contains provisions that prohibit state and local governments from passing voting laws that result in discrimination against a racial group, such as enacting literacy tests and other devices that have historically been used to disenfranchise racial minorities.
For information about public policy issues in the 2016 elections, see: Public policy in the 2016 elections!
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