H.B. 5250, An Act Concerning Released Felons’ Voting Rights

Restoring the right to vote for people who have been disenfranchised strengthens our democracy by increasing voter participation and helping formerly incarcerated people to reintegrate into society. One of the biggest barriers to formerly incarcerated people's enfranchisement is lack of public awareness about the issue. Due to the many misconceptions about disenfranchisement based on a criminal record, it is important to ensure that formerly incarcerated people know their rights. As an organization that defends the right to vote and believes that enfranchisement is an incredibly important way for people to participate in America’s democracy, the ACLU-CT supports this bill, which would require the Commissioner of the Department of Correction to alert formerly incarcerated people to the fact that they can register to vote.