Advocates Welcome Inclusive Democracy Act as Congress Debates New Voting Restrictions

[Washington, D.C.]–Today, voting rights advocates, including The Sentencing Project and the National Voting in Prison Coalition, welcomed the reintroduction of the Inclusive Democracy Act, legislation that would restore voting rights in federal elections to people who are currently or formerly incarcerated.

First introduced by Representative Ayanna Pressley and Senator Peter Welch in 2023, the bill returns as voting rights advocates are raising concerns about efforts to restrict ballot access in state legislatures and Congress, including the pending SAVE Act. Felony disenfranchisement laws, rooted in the post-Reconstruction efforts to suppress African American political power after Emancipation, continue to deny voting rights to more than four million Americans.

“All Americans should be included in our democracy—but some states deny individuals with a criminal record their sacred right to vote,” said Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), the bill’s lead sponsor. “The Inclusive Democracy Act would ensure the voices of millions of disenfranchised voters—disproportionately Black and brown folks—are heard. While Trump, who also has a criminal record, works to suppress voting rights in this new iteration of Jim Crow, our bill would expand access to the ballot box for all citizens. As someone whose family has been impacted by the mass incarceration crisis, I’m proud to lead this legislation with Senator Welch to uplift every voice and honor every vote.”

“At a time when voting rights are under attack, Congress should be expanding—not restricting—access to the ballot. The Inclusive Democracy Act would ensure that millions of Americans impacted by the criminal legal system have a voice in our democracy,” said Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project. “Nationwide one in 22 Black adults is disenfranchised due to a felony conviction—more than three times the rate of other Americans. Restoring voting rights is a matter of racial justice and democratic integrity, ensuring that every citizen has a voice in the decisions that shape their communities and their future.”

“Voting is a human right. But for too long, we have allowed the criminal justice system to strip away this right from millions and disproportionately Black Americans,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of The National Urban League. “The Inclusive Democracy Act takes the foundational step to guarantee federal voting rights for all people, regardless of criminal record. At a time when voting rights–especially for Black Americans–are being threatened, this bill says enough is enough.”

“As a person who is currently incarcerated, serving 35.8 years, I can not emphasize enough how having the right to vote would speak directly to recognizing our humanity, the need to contribute to our communities, and would restore hope. We are still citizens who care deeply about the issues and the times we are in. Now is the time when every vote must count, and all citizens, regardless of incarceration, should be afforded this fundamental right,” said Charles Longshore, Project Director at WA State Coalition on Second Look.

“Democracy is strongest when it reaches the people our systems have worked hardest to silence. Restoring voting rights in New Mexico taught me that changing the law is only the beginning; true democracy requires implementation, belonging, and the courage to ensure every voice is heard. The Inclusive Democracy Act is the next step toward making voting a right that no prison wall or criminal conviction can erase,” said Justin Allen, New Mexico Campaign Coordinator for Dream.org & Director of Unlock Civics NM.

“People often measure us by our worst moment, but communities are transformed by our greatest contributions,” said Justin Rodriguez, Coordinator at Empowering Descendant Communities to Unlock Democracy. “For years, I was affected by policies while excluded from the process, yet since returning home I’ve dedicated my life to service, leadership, and building in my community. This year, I cast my first vote as someone who has organized, served, and led, and I can’t help but wonder how much more profound this moment would be if I had never known marginalization and if I had understood what enfranchisement actually looked like all those years ago. Having a voice in civic life acknowledges not just our mistakes, but all that we still very much can bring and offer to our current democratic state.”

“Justice-impacted people should not simply be the subjects of public policy—they should be partners in creating it. More Than Our Crimes exists to transform lived experience into civic leadership and community power,” said Robert Barton, Executive Director at More Than Our Crimes.

“Kentucky has one of the most restrictive voting policies in the country, while also having one of the highest rates of felony convictions. A felony conviction does not erase a person’s citizenship, so it should not permanently deny them one of the most fundamental responsibilities and protections of citizenship, the right to vote,” said Kim George, Community Organizer at  Advocacy Based on Lived Experience.

“There’s no democratic or principled reason to bar citizens from voting nor should the right depend on which state someone happens to live in,” said Stephanie Puello, Assistant Professor at University of Miami. “In places like Maine, Vermont, and DC, citizens never lose their voting rights, even while incarcerated. Yet in states like Florida, citizens must complete their full sentence and repay fines and fees to regain their voting rights, and can even be arrested if they register to vote after misunderstanding their eligibility. This bill brings coherence to an arbitrary system that has created a patchwork of second-class citizenship. And evidence shows that formerly incarcerated citizens who vote often recidivate at lower rates, making it a mutual investment and a means of strengthening our communities. If we are committed to meeting the demands of democracy, we must promote civic participation at every level, and the Inclusive Democracy Act represents a meaningful step toward that ideal.”

“At Out for Justice, we know that directly impacted people are not only deserving of dignity—they are leaders, advocates, and changemakers whose lived experiences strengthen our democracy,” said Trina Selden, Executive Director at Out for Justice. “The Inclusive Democracy Act recognizes what we’ve always known: citizenship should not be conditional, and our democracy is strongest when everyone has the opportunity to participate. Restoring the right to vote is about more than casting a ballot—it’s about affirming our humanity, our belonging, and our collective power.”

“At EXPO, we believe redemption and democracy go hand in hand. Every citizen deserves a voice, because stronger communities are built through inclusion—not exclusion,” said Marianne Olson, Co-Executive Director at EXPO of Wisconsin.

“At The Change Up Midnight Coalition, we believe that incarceration or a criminal record should not exclude anyone from participating in the democratic process,” said Marcus Kelley, Founder of The Change Up Midnight Coalition.

“Voting has always been the cornerstone of democracy. Everything that is significant to an individual’s life can be tied to their ability to participate in the democratic process,” said Sheba Williams, Executive Director of Nolef Turns Inc. “There should be consistency across the process for all Americans, regardless of contact with the criminal legal system. Disenfranchisement has been intentional and inequitable for far too long. Voting is a human right that is enshrined in our U.S. Constitution yet it has been used as a tool to control who has power in our country for centuries. It is time every American citizen has their inalienable right to vote honored and accessible, even if they are imperfect people.”

“The Inclusive Democracy Act is a transformative and vital proposal,” said Reggie Thedford, Senior Legal Counsel for Restore Your Vote at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. “While we have seen some progress in rights restoration, most states still have work to do to eliminate laws that exclude individuals with felony convictions from voting. Campaign Legal Center applauds Congresswoman Pressley for leading the charge on this bill to address that need and promote the freedom to vote for all Americans. We also thank the advocates and organizers, especially those who themselves have had contact with the criminal legal system, who are tirelessly working to eliminate criminal disenfranchisement. Congress must pass this important legislation to move us to a more fair, representative and inclusive democracy.”

About The National Voting in Prison Coalition
The National Voting in Prison Coalition, consisting of directly-impacted activists, research organizations, and other experts, has been working together to expand and protect the right to vote for justice-impacted individuals including persons completing their sentence inside of jails and prisons.

About The Sentencing Project
The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.

About National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the Urban League collaborates at the national and local levels with community leaders, policymakers, and corporate partners to elevate the standards of living for African Americans and other historically underserved groups.  With 93 affiliates serving 300 communities in 37 states and the District of Columbia, the Urban League spearheads the development of social programs and authoritative public policy research, and advocates for policies and services that close the equality gap.

About WA State Coalition on Second Look
The WA State Coalition on Second Look works to address the culmination of systemic racism in our criminal legal system, remove barriers to civic engagement, and provide more equitable and community-based approaches for people impacted by harm. We are working to help communities shape policies by prioritizing solutions that are by and for those most disproportionately impacted by harm and the solutions that address harm via prevention, healing and culturally competent support.

About Dream.Org
Dream.Org works alongside directly impacted leaders and bipartisan partners to reduce mass incarceration, strengthen public safety, and advance policies that expand opportunity, dignity, and second chances.

About Empowering Descendant Communities to Unlock Democracy
Empowering Descendant Communities to Unlock Democracy (EDC) is a coalition dedicated to expanding democratic participation and advancing civic empowerment through voting rights restoration, civic education, and community organizing. By working alongside directly impacted individuals, advocates, and community partners, EDC seeks to restore rights, strengthen communities, and build a more inclusive democracy where every resident’s voice counts.

About More Than Our Crimes
More Than Our Crimes seeks to give a voice to the thousands of Americans, many people of color, who are incarcerated in federal prison. Our goals: to promote rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, restore civic power, and create pathways to community leadership after release.

About Advocacy Based on Lived Experience (ABLE)
Advocacy Based on Lived Experience or ABLE is a 501(c)3, fiscally sponsored program of the Kentucky Civic Engagement Table, with a mission to build and foster relationships of trust amongst Kentuckians with lived experience and their communities through education mobilization, and organization to promote healthy civic participation for the betterment of people and communities.

About Out for Justice
Out for Justice, Inc. (OFJ) is a grassroots organization whose mission is to engage, educate, and empower individuals impacted by the legal system to build collective power for dismantling systemic oppression and harmful policies.

About EXPO of Wisconsin
EXPO of Wisconsin believes in the inherent dignity of all currently and formerly incarcerated people. We believe they come from and are integral parts of our communities.

About The Change Up Midnight Coalition
The Change Up Midnight Coalition is a grassroots organization led by formerly incarcerated individuals, committed to educating, training, organizing, and advocating for the full restoration and enfranchisement of justice-impacted communities.

About Nolef Turns Inc.
Nolef Turns Inc is a non-partisan organization that has worked to provide education and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals for a decade. We have helped to restore the civil rights of hundreds of thousands of individuals and have seen the positive impact on public safety, as a result.

About Campaign Legal Center
The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.