In 2010 an estimated 5.85 million people in the United States (2.5% of the nation’s voting age population, excluding DC) could not vote due to a felony conviction – an increase from the 2004 total of 5.26 million and the highest number since at least 1960.
7.66% of African Americans in the United States could not vote due to a felony conviction. In Florida 23.32% of African Americans were disenfranchised – the highest percent in the nation.
Chart I below shows the number and percent of disenfranchised voters for the top 10 states with the highest levels of disenfranchisement. Chart II breaks down the total numbers of disenfranchised voters for each state. Chart III shows the rise in disenfranchisement from 1960-2010.
| I. Top 10 States with the Highest Percentage of Disenfranchised Voters, 2010 |
| Rank | State | Total Number of Disenfranchised Voters |
Percent of Disenfranchised Voters |
|||
| 1 | Florida | 1,541,602 | 10.42% | |||
| 2 | Mississippi | 182,814 | 8.27% | |||
| 3 | Kentucky | 243,842 | 7.35% | |||
| 4 | Virginia | 451,471 | 7.34% | |||
| 5 | Alabama | 262,354 | 7.19% | |||
| 6 | Tennessee | 341,815 | 7.05% | |||
| 7 | Wyoming | 25,657 | 5.99% | |||
| 8 | Nevada | 86,321 | 4.24% | |||
| 9 | Arizona | 199,734 | 4.19% | |||
| 10 | Georgia | 275,866 | 3.83% |
However, all is not lost. You can still register to vote in some cases depending on your Felony Conviction. The ACLU has put together a document that explains what you can do and how you can vote.
If you have been charged in Atlanta with a Felony then call a Atlanta Criminal Defense Lawyer who can understands what is at stake for you. Contact The Howard Law Group ASAP.
