A new report from The Sentencing Project, "Locked Out 2024: Estimates of People Denied Voting Rights Due to a Felony Conviction” reveals approximately 4 million Americans will be unable to vote in the upcoming 2024 election due to felony disenfranchisement laws.
The report also found that:
Since 2016, the number of disenfranchised people has declined by 31% as more states implement policies to restore voting rights, but significant barriers remain, particularly for those unable to pay court-ordered fines and fees.
One in 23 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised, a rate more than three times that of non-African Americans. More than 10% of African American citizens are barred from voting in Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, South Dakota and Tennessee.
Approximately 496,000 Latino Americans are disenfranchised, with over 5% of Latino voters in Arizona and Tennessee affected by felony voting bans. Latino voters are disenfranchised at higher rates than the general population in 28 states.
Approximately 763,000 women are barred from voting due to felony convictions, making up just under 20% of the disenfranchised population. Fifty-six percent of disenfranchised women have completed their sentences.
Florida and Tennessee lead the nation in disenfranchisement rates, with more than 6% of their adult populations unable to vote, due to a felony conviction.
The report also revealed that while half of U.S. states have made strides in expanding voting rights for people with felony convictions, other states—particularly in the Southeast—have resisted such reforms. The number of disenfranchised voters in these states grew, even as the national figure decreased. This disparity underscores the urgent need for national solutions to address the persistent barriers to voting faced by justice-impacted communities.
“The Locked Out 2024 report underscores a harsh reality: our nation remains ensnared by the remnants of Jim Crow through the practice of felony disenfranchisement. Black and Brown communities bear the brunt of felony voting bans, further perpetuating the persistent racial inequities that plague our country,” said Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project. “As we approach another critical election, millions of citizens are still excluded from participating in the democratic process. If America truly wants to live up to its promise as the beacon on the hill of democracy, it’s time to ensure we’re living up to these ideals. Ensuring that every voting age citizen has a voice in shaping our future is essential to building a more inclusive and equitable society.”
“Locked Out 2024 highlights the urgent need for reforms that go beyond piecemeal state-level changes,” said Christopher Uggen, co-author of the report. “Millions of Americans—disproportionately from marginalized communities—are barred from voting, representing a profound failure of our democratic system. We need to make voting rights for people with felony convictions a national priority if we are serious about creating a truly inclusive democracy.”
The report also found that:
Since 2016, the number of disenfranchised people has declined by 31% as more states implement policies to restore voting rights, but significant barriers remain, particularly for those unable to pay court-ordered fines and fees.
One in 23 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised, a rate more than three times that of non-African Americans. More than 10% of African American citizens are barred from voting in Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, South Dakota and Tennessee.
Approximately 496,000 Latino Americans are disenfranchised, with over 5% of Latino voters in Arizona and Tennessee affected by felony voting bans. Latino voters are disenfranchised at higher rates than the general population in 28 states.
Approximately 763,000 women are barred from voting due to felony convictions, making up just under 20% of the disenfranchised population. Fifty-six percent of disenfranchised women have completed their sentences.
Florida and Tennessee lead the nation in disenfranchisement rates, with more than 6% of their adult populations unable to vote, due to a felony conviction.
The report also revealed that while half of U.S. states have made strides in expanding voting rights for people with felony convictions, other states—particularly in the Southeast—have resisted such reforms. The number of disenfranchised voters in these states grew, even as the national figure decreased. This disparity underscores the urgent need for national solutions to address the persistent barriers to voting faced by justice-impacted communities.
“The Locked Out 2024 report underscores a harsh reality: our nation remains ensnared by the remnants of Jim Crow through the practice of felony disenfranchisement. Black and Brown communities bear the brunt of felony voting bans, further perpetuating the persistent racial inequities that plague our country,” said Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project. “As we approach another critical election, millions of citizens are still excluded from participating in the democratic process. If America truly wants to live up to its promise as the beacon on the hill of democracy, it’s time to ensure we’re living up to these ideals. Ensuring that every voting age citizen has a voice in shaping our future is essential to building a more inclusive and equitable society.”
“Locked Out 2024 highlights the urgent need for reforms that go beyond piecemeal state-level changes,” said Christopher Uggen, co-author of the report. “Millions of Americans—disproportionately from marginalized communities—are barred from voting, representing a profound failure of our democratic system. We need to make voting rights for people with felony convictions a national priority if we are serious about creating a truly inclusive democracy.”
