California strips voting rights from parolees. Proposition 17 will fix this injustice
The right to vote is sacred for every American.
Under current California law, people convicted of felonies are stripped of the right to vote until they finish their parole.
This means that citizens who are attempting to return to the path of good citizenship are barred from participating in every citizen’s most solemn responsibility: voting.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, this disproportionately disenfranchises Black and Latino voters. It’s yet another ugly vestige of the deep-rooted, systemic racism that continues to haunt our nation — and our state — today.
Proposition 17 would restore the right of parolees to vote, thus increasing voter turnout and encouraging the convicted to embrace the highest ideals of citizenship.
People who make serious mistakes and serve their time behind bars deserve the right to participate in our democratic process.
The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board urges Californians to vote yes on Prop. 17.
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