Midterm Elections Highlight Efforts to End Felony Disenfranchisement Nationwide
Reforms in Virginia, Missouri, and other states signal growing momentum for change, but millions of Americans remain disenfranchised as voting is already underway in the 2026 midterm elections.
Related to: Voting Rights, State Advocacy
[Washington, D.C.]– Early voting is already underway across the country, and Americans are making decisions that will shape every level of government, from local school boards and prosecutors’ offices to governors’ mansions and Congress. Yet as millions participate in the 2026 midterm elections, millions of other Americans remain barred from having a voice in the democratic process because of felony disenfranchisement laws.
According to The Sentencing Project, an estimated four million Americans were denied the right to vote because of a felony conviction in the 2024 federal election, making the United States a global outlier in restricting voting rights based on criminal legal system involvement. Only Maine, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. allow citizens to vote while incarcerated. Yet, eligible voters inside correctional facilities often face significant barriers to exercising their rights, including limited access to voter registration, election information, and ballot materials.
These laws have a disproportionate impact on Black communities, with approximately one in 22 voting-age Black Americans blocked from the ballot, a rate more than three times that of non-Black Americans.
“Felony disenfranchisement has deep roots in policies designed to silence Black political power, and its effects are still felt today,” said Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project. “As Americans cast ballots that will determine the future of their communities, millions of people impacted by the criminal legal system remain excluded from decisions that affect their families, neighborhoods, and futures. Democracy is strongest when everyone has a voice.”
However, while millions remain disenfranchised, advocates and lawmakers across parties are securing reforms to expand access to the ballot and strengthen democratic participation. This year, Missouri restored voting rights to more than 41,000 people on felony probation and parole, significantly expanding ballot access for residents living and working in their communities.
Virginia also saw historic progress in 2026 after a federal court ruling dramatically narrowed the state’s felony disenfranchisement policy, making hundreds of thousands of Virginians eligible to register and vote. During this election, Virginians will consider a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for people on felony probation and parole , potentially ending one of the nation’s last remaining Jim Crow era felony voting bans.
Meanwhile, advocates in Illinois continue pushing for the Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act, legislation that would restore voting rights to people in prison and make Illinois a national leader in expanding democratic participation.
“The reforms advanced in states like Missouri and Virginia demonstrate that policymakers across the political spectrum increasingly recognize voting as a fundamental right, and that involvement in the criminal legal system should not be a barrier to democratic participation,” Porter said. “But restoring rights on paper is only the first step. Protecting voting rights requires more than changing the law. It requires ensuring that eligible voters understand their rights and have the resources they need to participate. Eligible voters must have accurate information, meaningful access to the ballot, and the support necessary to participate in our democracy.”
Research shows that expanding voting access for people who are incarcerated strengthens both communities and democracy. Voting gives people a stake in the decisions that affect their daily lives, from public safety and education to health care and economic opportunity. Greater civic participation is also associated with stronger community engagement and improved public safety.
As the nation heads into Election Day, The Sentencing Project is urging policymakers and election officials to continue expanding voting rights, improve voter education and registration efforts, and remove barriers that prevent eligible voters from casting a ballot.
The outcome of this year’s elections will affect every community in America. Ensuring that all eligible citizens can participate is essential to building a democracy that reflects the people it serves.
