![Restored Voting Rights for Felons](http://townsquare.media/site/160/files/2016/11/vote-today.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Restored Voting Rights for Felons
On Friday, March 1, 2019, more than 36K convicted felons in Louisiana got their voting rights restored. For years, Baton Rouge Representative Pat Smith (Democrat) worked to get House Bill 265 passed and it finally happened in 2018. The struggle was real!
Thanks to her determination, the bill became law in 2018 after gaining approval from Governor John Bel Edwards, the House, and the Senate. Under the new law, if a convicted felon has been out of prison for five years or more, they can vote, even if they are on community supervision. Most people can get registered to vote online, using various apps or simply going to their local DMV.
Convicted felons will need to take a couple of extra steps to get registered, but they are worth the trouble to get your rights restored. A convicted felon himself, Bruce Reilly, is now advocating for people who’ve been formerly incarcerated. Now a deputy director of Voice of the Experienced, he explained the process for felons to get registered to vote is as follows:
1.) Get a voter registration form signed by their probation or parole officer, stating they’re eligible to vote
2.) Bring that form to their local Registrar of Voters Office
Both Reilly and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, who oversees Louisiana’s elections, agree these extra steps can be hassle. Hopefully, legislation to streamline this process will be introduced this year.
For more on Louisiana voting rights, click here.
![Hot 107.9 logo](https://townsquare.media/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/KHXTFM.png?w=100)
Famous McNeese Alumni
Famous McNeese Alumni
More From Hot 107.9
![Louisiana Unveils New ‘I Voted Sticker’ Ahead of Fall Election](http://townsquare.media/site/180/files/2021/11/attachment-voting-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![76% of Louisiana Voters Will Not Vote in November 13th Election](http://townsquare.media/site/34/files/2020/11/GettyImages-1229440323.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Lafayette Voters, Do You Know What Propositions Are on the Ballot?](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2021/10/attachment-Voting-Stickers-Photo-courtesy-of-element5-digital-2i7Dn2uMEQE-unsplash.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Early Voting for March 20th Election Begins Saturday](http://townsquare.media/site/33/files/2020/11/early-voting.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Important Election Day 12/05 Reminders](http://townsquare.media/site/34/files/2020/11/GettyImages-1229440323.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![More Than Two Million Louisianans Vote in November 3rd Election](http://townsquare.media/site/29/files/2020/10/IMG_2921.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![‘Who Did You Vote For?’ and Other Questions You Should Never Ask](http://townsquare.media/site/33/files/2016/12/RS13667_503707646-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Secretary of State Offers Recap of November 3rd Elections](http://townsquare.media/site/341/files/2020/07/GettyImages-1209785334.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![People Infected With COVID-19 Are Allowed to Vote at Polls Says CDC](http://townsquare.media/site/33/files/2020/11/GettyImages-1229436056.jpg?w=980&q=75)