In all but two states, voting age citizens convicted of a felony are barred from voting for some period of time. Laws vary in each state. While many states restore voting rights to individuals automatically after they exit jail or prison, others continue the bar on voting even while on probation or parole. Some even permanently disenfranchise people with a past conviction or require they petition the government to have their right restored.
This is a short up-to-date state guide to voting for ex-offenders. For more, visit the resources on the right.
Voting rights retained while in prison for a felony conviction in:
Voting rights restored automatically upon release from prison in:
The District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah.
Voting rights restored automatically once released from prison and discharged from parole (probationers can vote) in:
California, Colorado, Connecticut, and New York.
Voting rights restored automatically upon completion of sentence, including prison, parole, and probation in:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Virginia now does this by policy of the current governor.
Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction and/or the outcome of an individual petition or application to the government in:
Alabama, Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Voting rights can ONLY be restored through an individual petition or application to the government in:
A | C | D | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: some individuals may apply to have their voting rights restored immediately after completing their full sentence, but those convicted of certain felony offenses–such as murder, rape, incest, sexual crimes against children, and treason–are not eligible for re-enfranchisement. However, if convicted of a felony that does not involve “moral turpitude”, then the individual does not lose their right to vote.
Contact the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles at 334-242-8700 for more information.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. If convicted of only one felony, voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. However, if convicted of two or more felonies, the right to vote can only be restored through a judge or if pardoned. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Most ex-offenders can regain the right to vote immediately after completion of their full sentence. Except for people convicted of certain felonies–including murder, manslaughter, bribery or public corruption, and sex offenses are barred from voting unless they receive a formal pardon from the governor. As of July 2016, it is not necessary to have paid all fines, fees, and restitution in order to register.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: many can apply to the clemency board five years after completing their sentence, but others convicted of certain felonies—such as murder, assault, child abuse, drug trafficking, and arson—are subject to a seven year waiting period.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. In addition to completing all terms of their sentence, ex-offenders must also pay all outstanding monetary obligations to the court. Once this is complete, individuals convicted of a felony can apply to have their voting rights restored—which can only be done through the governor or the president of the United States.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Kentucky’s constitution permanently bars all individuals with past felony convictions from voting, unless the governor restores the right to vote. Contact the Secretary of State or your local election office for more information.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
The right to vote is never taken away from individuals convicted of felony, even while incarcerated.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, but can register and vote upon release, even while on probation or parole (as of April 2016). Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Visit the Michigan Department of State’s website for more information.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
In Mississippi, only individuals convicted of one of 21 specific felony crimes lose the right to vote. All others retain their voting rights, even while incarcerated. Re-enfranchisement for those that have lost the right to vote can only be granted through a bill passed by both houses of the legislature or through the governor. [The 21 felonies (in alphabetical order) are: armed robbery, arson, bigamy, bribery, carjacking, embezzlement, extortion, felony bad check, felony shoplifting, forgery, larceny, murder, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, rape, receiving stolen property, robbery, statutory rape, theft, timber larceny, and unlawful taking of a vehicle.]
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote. Individuals who have been convicted of an election offense, whether a felony or misdemeanor, are not allowed to vote
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored two years after the completion of all supervised release (except if convicted of treason). Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
In Nevada, voting rights are restored automatically after sentence completion if convicted of a non-violent felony. However, those convicted of a violent felony and all second-time felony offenders (whether violent or non-violent) can only have their rights restored by the court in which they were convicted.
For more information visit the Nevada Secretary of State’s website.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are eventually automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release, but only after a period of time equal to the length of sentence passed. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote at that time.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Convicted felons must serve their full term of incarceration, parole, and probation before they may register to vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Individuals convicted of a felony since 1981–except for some felonies such as murder, rape, treason and voter fraud–may apply to the Board of Probation and Parole to have their voting rights restored once their sentence is completed.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
The right to vote is never taken away from individuals convicted of a felony, even while incarcerated.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Non-violent felons (including sale of drugs) will have their voting rights automatically restored upon release from prison, but must fill out this online form. Those convicted of violent felonies, crimes against minors, and electoral offenses must wait three years before applying for a gubernatorial restoration of voting rights. Virginia is one of four states whose constitution permanently disenfranchises citizens with past felony convictions, but grants the state’s governor the authority to restore voting rights. The state’s former and current governor now issue individual restorations for all citizens who have completed their sentence, including probation and parole. Individuals can always check their status on the Secretary of Commonwealth’s website: www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/ror
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote. However, the Secretary of State’s website states that persons who have “willfully failed to make three payments in a 12 month period” on any court imposed fines may have their ability to vote revoked by the prosecutor.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: first-time non-violent felony offenders can apply to the Wyoming Board of Parole five years after completion of sentence. All others must apply to the Governor for either a pardon or a restoration of rights, but must wait ten and five years, respectively, after completing their sentence.