Over 41,000 Pennsylvanians Completing a Felony Prison Sentence are Barred From Voting as Primary Election Approaches
Over 41,000 Pennsylvanians cannot vote in the May 19th primary election due to imprisonment for felony conviction.
Related to: Voting Rights, State Advocacy
[Washington, DC]– Over 41,000 Pennsylvanians cannot vote in the May 19th primary election due to imprisonment for felony conviction. This voting exclusion weighs particularly on Black Pennsylvanians who are banned from voting while completing a felony sentence in prison at almost eight times the rate of non-Black Pennsylvanians. Latino Pennsylvanians are excluded at almost twice the rate of non-Latino Pennsylvanians. Pennsylvania’s voting ban furthers racial injustice in the state and diminishes the political representation of Black and Brown voters.
“Pennsylvania’s felony voting bans significantly dilutes the political power of communities of color in the Commonwealth,” said Bob Libal, Senior Campaign Strategist at The Sentencing Project. “Electoral engagement and fair political representation is critical to building an inclusive democracy– by revoking the rights of citizens based on their criminal legal status, we continue to fail as a society built on the principles of liberty and justice for all.”
“Incarcerated Pennsylvanians continue to be neglected not only in our state’s prison system but also in our democratic process,” said Leigh Owens, Director of Education & Advocacy at The Pennsylvania Prison Society. “As the home of the first Constitutional Convention, Pennsylvania played a profound role in shaping American democracy. By continuing to deny Pennsylvanians the right to vote due to being incarcerated on a felony conviction and through de facto disenfranchisement for eligible voters in local jails, the state is missing a critical opportunity to not only advance public safety, but live up to its legacy of democracy building.”
Since 1997, 26 states and the District of Columbia have expanded the right to vote to over 2 million Americans with felony convictions. As the birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, Pennsylvania should lead—not lag—in protecting democracy. Restoring voting rights for all eligible citizens and ensuring that each eligible voter in a local jail has access to the ballot would advance racial justice, strengthen public safety, and reaffirm the Commonwealth’s foundational commitment to liberty and justice for all.
About The Sentencing Project
The Sentencing Project is a national nonprofit organization advocating for a fair and effective criminal justice system. Through research, policy analysis, and public education, it promotes reforms that reduce incarceration and advance racial justice.
About The Pennsylvania Prison Society
For more than 230 years the Prison Society has worked to promote the health, safety and dignity of people behind bars.
