*************************August 16, 2016 - UPDATE****************************
Today the California State Senate voted to send AB 2466 (Weber, D-San Diego) to the Governor, rolling back a discriminatory voting restriction in California that is a carry over from the Jim Crow era, when states made it harder for black citizens and other minorities to register and vote. The bill is now on Governor Jerry Brown's signature, awaiting his signature. Full article here >>
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May 4, 2016 - Since slavery was abolished, felony disenfranchisement laws, which strip individuals of their vote because of a criminal conviction, have been used to breakdown potential African-American political power.
In California, the voting rights of people with a criminal conviction are shrouded by confusion. This confusion threatens the integrity of California's elections and results in the unfair exclusion of eligible voters, a disproportionate number of whom are people of color, from our democracy.
AB 2466 clarifies existing California law on voter eligibility, guarantees a more inclusive and participatory electorate, and is a step toward ending the shameful legacy of Jim Crow in our state.
For more details, please see our AB 2466 Fact Sheet.
For more on the rights to vote of those who have a criminal conviction, please see our more detailed brochure.
