Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated People
Every state has laws outlining who is eligible to vote, and almost all states restrict voting for those who are currently incarcerated for a felony offense—though a few states allow citizens to vote while incarcerated. States differ on when and how formerly incarcerated people can have their voting rights restored.
Voting rights are never lost
(2 states + D.C.)
Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from incarceration
(23 states)
Voting rights are lost until full completion of sentence, including probation and parole
(15 states)
Additional action is required post-sentence to restore voting rights
(10 states)
Recommended citation: Movement Advancement Project. “Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated People” https://mapresearch.org/democracy-map/voting-rights-for-formerly-incarcerated-people/. Accessed June 12, 2026.
Breakdown by Population
*Note: These percentages reflect the voting-eligible population, as reported by the United States Election Project.
1%
1% of population lives in states where voting rights are never lost
53%
53% of population lives in states where voting rights are automatically restored upon release from incarceration
27%
27% of population lives in states where voting rights are lost until full completion of sentence, including probation and parole
19%
19% of population lives in states where additional action is required post-sentence to restore voting rights
