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July 27, 2009

Bill Introduced to Restore Voting Rights to Former Prisoners
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House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers and Senate Judiciary
Committee member Russ Feingold have introduced bills to restore voting
rights in federal elections to Americans formerly incarcerated on felony
convictions. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 will restore such
rights to approximately four million Americans who continue to be
disenfranchised despite being released from prison. Left out of this
bill are the 1.3 million Americans still incarcerated on felony
convictions. Felony disenfranchisement affects people of color at a
disproportionate rate, with 13 percent of African American men unable to
vote as a result.



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