We Demand A Civic Right to Vote While on Parole

In 1850 California enacted its felony disenfranchisement law which stated, "Laws shall be made to exclude from... the right of suffrage those who shall hereafter be convicted of bribery, perjury, forgery, or other high crimes." The constitution also specifically bars from voting "those convicted of any infamous crime." As UC Berkeley News writes Jonathan Simon accurately wrote, “Today, parole supervision involves an additional sentence of up to three years of correctional custody in the community, for all prisoners released from a California prison. During this time, the ex-prisoner is "supervised" by a parole agent and subject to numerous conditions (such as allowing police searches of one's home and person, not using illegal drugs, and obeying all orders of one's parole agent).” Felon disenfranchisement is unconstitutional! Individuals who have completed their terms of physical confinement and have reintegrated back into the community should be allowed to vote.