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Do Voting Rights Notification Laws Increase Ex-Felon Turnout?

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  • Marc Meredith
  • Michael Morse

Abstract

Previous research documents widespread confusion about who can and cannot vote among people who have come into contact with the criminal justice system. This research, and considerable activism drawing attention to the issue, has spurred a number of state legislatures to pass laws requiring the states to notify ex-felons about their voting rights. The purpose of this article is to better understand the policy processes that produce these notification laws and to assess whether the laws affect ex-felons’ registration and turnout rates. Data on discharges from the correctional system and voter files are merged from three states that have recently passed notification laws: New Mexico, New York, and North Carolina. Our findings show little evidence of an increase in ex-felon registration or turnout after notification laws are implemented.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Meredith & Michael Morse, 2014. "Do Voting Rights Notification Laws Increase Ex-Felon Turnout?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 651(1), pages 220-249, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:651:y:2014:i:1:p:220-249
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716213502931
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael V. Haselswerdt, 2009. "Con Job: An Estimate of Ex‐Felon Voter Turnout Using Document‐Based Data," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(2), pages 262-273, June.
    2. Mark Lopez, 2010. "The Voting Behavior of Young Disenfranchised Felons: Would They Vote if They Could?," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 12(2), pages 265-279.
    3. Alec C. Ewald, 2009. "Criminal Disenfranchisement and the Challenge of American Federalism," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 39(3), pages 527-556, Summer.
    4. Thomas J. Miles, 2004. "Felon Disenfranchisement and Voter Turnout," The Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(1), pages 85-129, January.
    5. Meredith, Marc, 2009. "Persistence in Political Participation," Quarterly Journal of Political Science, now publishers, vol. 4(3), pages 187-209, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Leo Owens, 2014. "Ex-Felons’ Organization-Based Political Work for Carceral Reforms," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 651(1), pages 256-265, January.

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