The American prison system has long been used as a tool for reducing the voting rights of Black communities. Every state in the US, with the exception of Maine and Vermont, has laws that deny people with criminal convictions the right to vote, known as felon disenfranchisement laws. These laws have disproportionately affected Black Americans, particularly in the Southern states. Research shows that Black Americans are four times more disenfranchised for felony convictions compared to all races combined (Tatro 2020).
After the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, states sought new ways to limit Black enfranchisement. The War on Drugs provided an opportunity for white lawmakers to disproportionately target Black communities, leading to a significant increase in the number of African-Americans in state and federal prisons for drug-related crimes. Many studies have found that even though white and Black Americans use drugs at similar rates, Black Americans are more likely to be convicted of a drug-related crime (Ramirez 2022). The mass incarceration of Black Americans has broken up families and weakened their communities, leaving a growing population with limited employment opportunities and making them more likely to turn to illegal activities to make ends meet. This cycle has been perpetuated by felon disenfranchisement laws and targeted drug crime laws, creating a formula for keeping generations of Black communities in a state of weak political influence.
Other research has shown that felon disenfranchisement laws not only impact felons but also their children, family members, and residents living in communities with high rates of incarceration (Remster and Kramer 2019:423). This demonstrates the wide-ranging and long-lasting impacts of felon disenfranchisement, making this issue deeply harmful to Black communities. Limiting their political representation makes it increasingly difficult for Black Americans to elect government officials who are willing to address issues important to Black communities.
Today, politicians and lawmakers in Southern states are still seeking ways to limit the minority vote, such as proposing restrictions on Sunday voting, which disproportionately affects Black and Latino Americans (Brennan Center 2022). These attempts to suppress the Black vote are reminiscent of the Jim Crow era and continue to be a major concern for Black communities.
There are ongoing efforts to combat Black disenfranchisement, including reforms to address prison gerrymandering and advocacy by organizations such as The Sentencing Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the NAACP. However, more research is needed to fully understand the factors that contribute to the decline in Black voter turnout and to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed solutions, such as legalizing marijuana and restoring a felon’s right to vote. The publication of scholarly works on these topics can help stimulate important conversations and push for further reform at the state and federal levels.
It is crucial to identify and address the causes of Black disenfranchisement in order to educate the public and propose solutions. Black communities have historically been targeted and marginalized by the American prison system, and it is our responsibility to acknowledge and address this injustice. We must work towards a future where all voices are heard and all communities are given an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.
Take Action:
Watch Videos/Documentaries:
"Mass Incarceration, Visualized" (The Atlantic, 2015)
The 13th. Directed by Ava DuVernay, 2016
Citations:
Brennan Center. 2022 “The Impact of Voter Suppression on Communities of Color.” Brennan Cent for Justice. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/impact-voter-suppression-communities-color
Ramirez, Stephen A. 2022. “The Racist Roots of the War on Drugs and the Myth of Equal Protection for People of Color.” University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review 47(4):453-90.
Remster, Brianna and Rory Kramer. 2018. “Shifting Power: The Impact of Incarceration on Political Representation.” Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race 15(2):417–39.
Tatro, Dyjuan. 2020. “Felony Disenfranchisement Suppresses the Votes of Black and Latinx Americans.” Vera Institute of Justice. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.vera.org/news/felony-disenfranchisement-suppresses-the-votes-of-black-and-latinx-americans
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