"The study released today by the ACLU of New Jersey documents what many residents already know—felon disfranchisement laws not only strip voting rights from thousands of New Jersians, and millions of citizens nationwide, but the confusion they cause often prevents eligible people from voting. That confusion is often the result of punitive barriers, erected by state and local election administrators, that prevent voting by people with criminal convictions who are actually eligible according to law. And this new report shows the depth to which these unfair, haphazardly administered laws are used to restrict voter access.

"Over the last few years, states across the country—most recently Nebraska—have taken bold steps to ensure that more eligible residents are able to vote, and have removed voter registration barriers for citizens with felony convictions. In 2003, Connecticut extended automatic restoration of the vote to people on probation—a measure that should be implemented in New Jersey. And in Maine, Vermont and Puerto Rico, people can vote not only while on probation or parole, but even while incarcerated.

"This new research confirms for New Jersey what other studies have revealed about disfranchisement laws around the country—that they affect many more people than those whose voting rights they specifically deny. Millions who are eligible under the law are never informed of their restored right to vote, have difficulty registering to vote, and if they do get registered, are more likely to be erroneously ‘purged'.

"These laws, drafted with racist intent in a bygone era, should be struck down. Until then, election administrators like New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey need to be extra vigilant in protecting voting rights for all eligible citizens. He should make sure local election administrators are following the law, and not forcing eligible New Jersians to jump through hoops to register to vote.

"And all American citizens, regardless of whether they are on probation or parole, should have a right to vote and then be strongly encouraged to exercise it."

For more information about felon disfranchisement laws in the US and efforts to reform our election system, visit www.demos.org. To download a copy of the ACLU-NJ report, visit www.aclu-nj.org.

Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action is a national, nonpartisan public policy and research organization based in New York. Demos is a member of the national Right to Vote campaign and hosts the Unlock the Block: Release the Vote campaign to restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated people in New York.

Members of the press: to schedule an interview with Ludovic Blain, who will comment at a press conference announcing the report's findings—at 1pm on May 9, 2005 at the Hughes Justice Complex at 25 Market Street in Trenton—contact Tim Rusch at (212) 389-1407 or trusch@demos-usa.org.

Ludovic Blain is the Associate Director of Demos' Democracy Program. He focuses on expanding voting rights, particularly ending felon disfranchisement, promoting election day registration, and dealing with recent election law changes. He has 15 years of advocacy, organizing, and communications experience, including a decade lobbying city and state legislatures for government reform, environmental justice, and consumer protection policies. Ludovic is the acting Chair of the Steering Committee of Right to Vote: A National Campaign to End Felon Disfranchisement. He has been featured in several books, including Loud and Clear in an Election Year, published in 2004. His work has been covered in The New York Times, NBC Nightly News and C-SPAN. He has a B.A. from City College of New York.

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