19 Aug Having A Legal Issue And Figuring Out If You Can Vote
With it being an election year – a big election year, the Presidential Election – many of you with loved ones who have a criminal history or are currently serving time are probably wondering if they’re eligible to vote in November. You may be wondering eligibility for yourself, for having a criminal past. Here is the breakdown for Alabama’s voting rights for residents with criminal situations.
First, voters must be a U.S. citizen at at least 18 years of age.
- Misdemeanors do not affect your right to vote. You can be in county jail serving a misdemeanor sentence and still be allowed to register and vote.
- You can be on probation and still be allowed to register and vote.
- You may not register and vote if you are in state prison, or in a county jail serving a state prison sentence.
- You may not register and vote if you are on parole.
- Voting rights are automatically restored once parole is completed. No further action (like filling out paperwork) is required of you.
Aside from this voting talk is the talk of bailing people out of jail. Bail bonds work only for those who have been arrested and are waiting for or are currently on trial; bail bonds do not work for those who have already been convicted and those who have been denied bail. People who have been arrested but not yet convicted may register and vote.