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Voice in Democracy

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Although the right to vote is quite possibly one of the most fundamental rights of citizenship in a democratic country, a substantial number of US citizens choose not to exercise this right. The US Census confirms that voter registration and participation rates drop consistently as household incomes decline. Along with younger voters, low-income people are a group whose voting rates are declining the most.

As a group whose needs have consistently been ignored by lawmakers, it is easy to see why the participation of people with lower incomes is so crucial. Yet, living on a low income imposes unique barriers to voting:

• Moving from place to place makes it difficult to maintain updated voter registration information
• Lack of user-friendly information on candidates and voting procedures affects the ability to make informed voting decisions
• Voting falls low on the priority list for people with low-incomes who have too many immediate needs to take care of.
• Simply being “low-income” can affect a person’s belief that their vote really matters.
• Many previously incarcerated people who have lost their civil rights cannot afford to pay off the fines associated with regaining their right to vote.

Poverty Action works to address these barriers in order to help people gain full access to civic participation.

Vote for a Change Campaign

Poverty Action launched its first-ever voter mobilization project in South King County to engage people with low-incomes to vote in the 2004 election.

Nearly 500 volunteers participated in door-to-door voter engagement, reaching 20,000 households a total of three times leading up to the election. Volunteers not only registered voters at the door, they also asked people to sign a petition, stating their commitment to vote. In addition to affirming one’s pledge to vote, this petition also urged candidates to make issues of income, health care and tuition assistance a priority if elected.

The facilitation of a candidates’ forum and distribution of a comprehensive voter guide helped to provide information for people to make informed voting decisions and understand the voting process. The result was that voter participation increased by 16% among people with lower incomes!

Voting Rights legislation

During the 2005 Legislative Session, Poverty Action worked to forward several pieces of legislation that would have helped reduce the barriers faced by ex-felons who are barred from voting because they cannot afford to pay the fines associated with regaining their right to vote.

When someone is convicted of a felony offense, they must complete all conditions of their sentence including serving time, completing probation and paying restitution in order to restore their right to vote. Many persons convicted of a felony offense are faced with “legal financial obligations” which can include docket and filing fees, court costs, restitution and costs of incarceration. High interest rates on the debt make it extremely difficult for people with lower incomes to pay off the fines. The debt that ex-felons are required to pay compounds at an annual interest rate of 12%.

The following bills would have eliminated or greatly reduced the barriers faced by ex-felons who are unable to vote because they cannot afford to pay legal fines.

Tracking the voter registration of former felons (HB 2062)

Provides that the civil right to vote is restored to persons convicted of a felony upon completion of all the requirements of all of their sentences, except for legal financial obligations as defined in RCW 9.94A.030. In 2005, this bill died in Rules committee.

Felony Discharge bill (HB 1358/SB 5339)
A person who has satisfied all incarceration and supervision requirements of his or her sentence shall receive a certificate of discharge if he or she has made a good faith effort to satisfy all legal financial obligations, according to his or her means, and the legal financial obligations remain enforceable by all parties as a civil judgment. The restoration of civil rights includes the right to vote, serve on a jury and run for public office. In 2005, this bill died in Rules committee.

Revising the interest rate on legal financial obligations (HB 1359/SB 5611)

Lowers the interest rate on financial obligations imposed in a criminal judgment. In 2005, this bill died in Rules committee.