This brief from The Sentencing Project details that, in 2020, 5.2 million Americans were prohibited from voting due to laws that disenfranchise citizens convicted of felony offenses. Voting rights vary by state, and how state, which institute a wide range of disenfranchisement policies. For example, in 2020, the 11 most extreme states restricted voting rights for some or all individuals even after they have served their prison sentence and are no longer on probation or parole; such individuals make up over 58% of the entire disenfranchised population.

The brief also explores the history of disenfranchisement for people convicted of felonies, policy reforms in recent years aimed at restoring voting rights, how the US compares to other countries in this policy area, and the impact of voting restrictions in the US.

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