As outlined by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), it has been common practice in the United States to make people convicted of a felony ineligible to vote, in some cases permanently. Over the last few decades, the general trend according to the NCSL has been toward reinstating the right to vote at some point, although this is a state-by-state policy choice.

This NCSL brief explores state approaches to felony disenfranchisement, dividing states into four overarching categories of how voting rights are affected by a felony conviction. The brief also provides details on policies for rights restoration across states and examines recent state actions related to voting rights for people convicted of a felony. Finally, the brief provides links to related resources.

Access this brief