John,

The freedom to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy and when we lower the barriers to access voting, the environment and our communities win. Yet our current law unnecessarily prevents people with an incarceration history who are currently under community supervision from being eligible to vote. More than 10,000 Washingtonians have served their time, returned to society, and are taking steps to contribute to their communities; their voices belong in our democracy.

Will you take a moment to tell legislators to end this practice? Yes! I will tell legislators to support restoring voter eligibility today!

This legislative session one of our priorities is passing Voting Eligibility Restoration (SB 6228) to improve voting justice in Washington. If passed, this critical solution would restore voting eligibility to returning Washingtonians, and allow them to participate even if they can’t afford their legal fees. This commonsense solution has a big impact:

Improves public safety: People with a conviction history who actively vote have reduced rates of recidivism, or the likelihood that someone will commit another crime.
Bring more equity to our democracy: Black and brown communities are among the most impacted by environmental degradation and climate change, and are overrepresented in Washington prisons due to an ongoing history of institutional racism and over-policing.
Has strong support: Formerly incarcerated advocates, survivors of assault, public safety officials, and the Department of Corrections all support this bill.

If passed, Washington will be 20th in the nation to enact this important voting justice policy. Support this crucial reform and urge lawmakers to support Voting Eligibility Restoration (SB 6228).

Onward,

Emily Krieger
Political and Civic Engagement Manager

Image by WA Voting Justice Coalition