Fri. Feb 14th, 2025

From today’s Newsweek:

Nearly 500,000 people in Tennessee will be barred from voting in the upcoming presidential election, with critics claiming new electoral rules will likely disproportionately affect Black and Latinx people.

Those convicted of certain felony crimes in Tennessee (tried in any U.S. state) have previously been able to vote only if they had been pardoned or had their voting rights restored. Felons convicted of extremely serious crimes, such as first-degree murder, may or may not have voting rights restored—depending on the year in which the conviction took place, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State.

Under the Tennessee constitution, a condition of citizenship is the right to bear firearms. But felons, once they have finished their sentences, in Tennessee and elsewhere, are prohibited from purchasing, storing or carrying guns.

In the summer of 2023, state election officials perceived a Tennessee Supreme Court decision as mandating that anyone with felony convictions seeking reinstatement of their voting rights must either have their complete citizenship rights reinstated by a judge or prove they have been pardoned. Newsweek has contacted the Secretary of State for Tennessee for comment and clarification via the form on its website.

Before, a Tennessee felon seeking to regain voting rights had to settle all outstanding debts and obtain government officials’ approval by submitting a “certificate of restoration” form to confirm their eligibility to vote.

According to the new requirement, someone with a felony must first obtain a pardon from the governor or have a court reinstate their full citizenship rights—which includes the right to bear arms. After fulfilling this, the person must then proceed with the certificate of restoration process to have their voting rights reinstated.

Read the complete story here.

By Editor