Can you imagine being arrested and jailed for voting?
Under current law, North Carolinians convicted of a felony lose their voting rights until they complete their sentence, including any time on probation or parole. If a person still serving their felony sentence is convicted of voting illegally — even if it’s a mistake — they face up to two years in prison.
House Bill 819 would remove the possibility of people serving felony sentences from being charged with a second felony simply because they misunderstand the law. It’s a common sense solution that would save prosecutorial resources and reduce barriers to successful reentry at a time when North Carolina should be expanding voting access for justice-involved individuals.
Take action: Tell your lawmakers to support House Bill 819 — and send a strong message that justice-involved North Carolinians deserve to vote without fear.