Restoration of Voting Rights to Felons
Origin: Wyoming State Legislature
Bill Name/Number: HB 15
Link: Click here
Summary: Passed in the spring of 2015, this law restores voting rights to individuals convicted of a nonviolent
felony upon completion of sentence including probation or parole.
Talking Points & Important Information:
• According to The Sentencing Project, an estimated 5.85 million Americans across the country are denied
the right to vote because of criminal convictions. Known as felony disenfranchisement, this loss of access
to the ballot box is a major obstacle to societal reintegration as well as democratic participation because it
compounds the isolation of formerly incarcerated individuals from their communities.
• Felon disenfranchisement disproportionately affects communities of color. In fact, the Brennan Center found
that 13 percent of African American men have lost their right to vote – seven times the national average.
• Laws preventing former felons from voting make it harder to reintegrate into society and increase chances of
recidivism. In one study, among individuals who had been arrested previously, 27 percent of non-voters were
rearrested compared with 12 percent of voters. According to the University of South Florida, re-enfranchising
former felons reduces the rate of recidivism by at least 10 percent while also curtailing the adverse growth of
the private prison industry.
• For more resources on voting rights restoration, click here and here.
2015 POLICY BOOK
STATE
INTRO
LEVEL
PAGE 8