The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 7, 2025
Returning Tennessee citizens convicted of most felonies can now have their voting rights returned by a court order, rather than a pardon from the governor, under a law enacted May 2nd. It also removed the requirement that all fees be paid prior to those rights being restored.
According to The Sentencing Project, Tennessee follows only Florida and Texas in the percent of its citizens denied the right to vote. Over 300,000 Tennesseans who have completed their sentences cannot vote due to a past felony conviction – 6% of otherwise eligible voters. May 2nd, Governor Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 407, allowing courts to issue an order that a formerly-incarcerated citizen convicted of a common felony qualifies to have “citizenship rights” restored.
Unlike other states’ reforms, however, Tennessee will still require a pardon to restore rights to those convicted of so-called “infamous” felonies, including murder, rape, treason, voter fraud, certain felonies involving bribery, misconduct by public officials, and sexual offenses where the victim was a minor.
SB 407 also removes the stipulation that any outstanding fees be paid before voting rights are restored, wielded as a voter suppression tactic by Florida and other states. Mississippi’s legislature, which considered rights restoration legislation earlier this year, again defeated all of its proposed bills.
We have more on the specifics of Tennessee’s new rights restoration law and state-by-state rules at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Tennessee Lookout – (2023) Restoring voting rights after a felony is rare in Tennessee. This year, the process got harder.
Tennessee Secretary of State – Restoration of Voting Rights
The Sentencing Project – Tennessee Should Restore Voting Rights to Nearly 400,000 Citizens
Tennessee Legislature – Bill text for Senate Bill 407
The Sentencing Project – Locked Out 2024: Four Million Denied Voting Rights Due to a Felony Conviction
National Conference of State Legislatures – Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons
Groups Taking Action:
The Sentencing Project, Campaign Legal Center, The Equity Alliance, ACLU TN
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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