Can I vote if I have a felony conviction? (2024)

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Note: This article is not intended to serve as legal advice as to an individual's eligibility to vote. Individuals should contact their state or local election agency for further information.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary substantially from state to state. As of 2024, in Maine, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., people convicted of a felony retained the right to vote while incarcerated. In 38 other states, people convicted of a felony could not vote while incarcerated but automatically regained the right to vote upon their release or at some point thereafter. Ten states did not automatically restore voting rights for people convicted of certain felonies. Generally, governors across the United States may exercise the executive authority to restore voting rights by pardon on an individual basis.

Policies by state

The information below summarizes voting rights for people convicted of a felony in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C.as of the 2024 general election.

1. In two states (Maine and Vermont) and Washington, D.C., people convicted of a felony always retain the right to vote.
2. In 22 states, voting rights are restored to people convicted of a felony automatically upon completion of their prison sentence.
3. In one state, Connecticut, voting rights are restored to people convicted of a felony automatically upon completion of prison and parole time.
4. In 15 states, voting rights are restored to people convicted of a felony automatically upon completion of their sentence, including prison time, parole, and probation.
5. In 10 states, voting rights are not automatically restored to people convicted of certain felonies. However, the governor may opt to restore an individual's voting rights by pardon on a case-by-case basis. This tally includes Arizona, where voting rights are automatically restored for people with one felony conviction, but government action is required to restore voting rights for people with two or more felony convictions. Virginia is also included here. In 2023, Governor Glenn Youngkin's (R) administration announced that he would not continue the policy of automatically restoring voting rights for people convicted of a felony that previous governors used their powers to enact.

To read more about these policies, click here.

See also

• Voting in 2024
• Who can I contact with questions about voting?
• Do I need voter ID?
• How can I learn more about how my jurisdiction administers elections?