By Hill Harper
As the Republican National Convention comes to a close and the
Democrats gear up for next week, there is one looming question about the
focus each party will place on voting rights—an issue that was not
front and center during the presidential debates but should be at the
forefront of national discussion as we approach the general election.
If and when they do turn to voting rights, there
is much to address—most especially concerning the restoration of voting
rights for returning citizens. Our democracy is strengthened when as
many eligible citizens as possible are able to freely participate in
elections. However, in 2016, many states are holding firm to laws that
deny Americans the right to vote because of a prior criminal conviction
from their past.
So-called "felony disenfranchisement" laws hurt people with criminal histories and their home communities. Publicly available data demonstrates that an estimated 5.85 million Americans are currently disenfranchised as a result of these arcane laws.
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Hill Harper is an award-winning actor, bestselling author,
philanthropist and national spokesperson for the Lawyers' Committee for
Civil Rights Under Law.
Source: NBC News
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