Vice President Harris, the 2024 Democrat nominee, and running mate Tim Walz have both expressed support for expanding voting rights for serious criminals. Walz, as the Minnesota governor, expanded voting rights for felons last year, allowing them to vote after getting out of prison without completing terms of parole or post-release supervision.
Harris, during her 2020 presidential bid, raised the possibility of allowing felons to vote from behind bars. The law signed by Walz in 2023 in Minnesota would enable 55,000 former prisoners convicted of serious crimes to vote, aligning with similar rules in at least 20 other states.
Supporters argue that such policies could allow former President Trump to vote after his conviction in a New York fraud trial. However, many states restore voting rights only after completion of post-release supervision like parole or probation.
The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the law after a legal challenge. Currently, only Maine and Vermont allow imprisoned felons to vote, along with Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
Harris has called the issue of felons voting from prison a complex one, emphasizing the need for serious consequences for extreme crimes. While some inmates support the idea for restorative justice, experts express concerns about the potential impact of allowing prisoners to vote.
Debates on felon voting rights continue across the country, with differing laws on felonies and misdemeanors. Some argue that certain felons, especially those convicted of violent or heinous crimes, should lose their voting rights. The White House and Harris' campaign have not commented on the matter.
The Trump campaign criticized the Minnesota measure after Harris named Walz as her running mate, accusing him of pushing a liberal agenda. Walz's policies, including allowing convicted felons to vote, have drawn both support and criticism.
