Voting Rights Restoration Remains Popular With Voters Across The Political Spectrum
The memo below details results from polls conducted in various states over the last three years commissioned by the Secure Democracy Foundation and Secure Democracy USA on voting rights restoration. Overall, our research shows that in key states across the country voters support restoring voting eligibility to citizens with past felony convictions. This research also demonstrates that support for rights restoration does not increase when conditions of probation/parole and fines/fees are added, but instead often weakens support. Finally, our polling also found strong support for more transparency around the rights restoration process.
Support for Restoring Voting Eligibility
In all states tested, a plurality of voters - and in most states, a majority of voters - support automatic restoration of voting eligibility for citizens with past felony convictions once they are no longer incarcerated. This includes typically Democratic-leaning states such as Connecticut, Republican-leaning states such as Mississippi and Missouri, and politically-competitive swing states such as Arizona and Wisconsin.
Automatic restoration upon release from prison also appears to have bipartisan support in key states. In Arizona, for example, this policy is supported by 71% of Democrats, 55% of Republicans, and 62% of Independents. In Florida, automatic restoration is supported by 75% of Democrats, 51% of Republicans, and 54% of Independents. Likewise in Wisconsin, this policy is supported by 85% of Democrats, 59% of Republicans, and 72% of Independents.
There is also support among voters when voting eligibility is tied to completing parole or probation, and/or paying all fines and fees. However, support does not dramatically increase when these contingencies are added, but instead often drops. In Arizona, for instance, 59% of voters support rights restoration contingent on completing parole and/or probation, but 62% support automatic restoration after release from prison. In Mississippi, voters were more supportive of automatic restoration upon release (80%) than messages about contingencies about probation and parole (40%) and fines and fees (78%).
Support for Transparency About Voting Eligibility and Fines & Fees
Voters across the political spectrum also overwhelmingly support more transparency around the reentry and restoration of voting eligibility processes.
In Florida, nearly seven-in-10 voters (69%) support establishing an accessible database where citizens can find information about the fines they owe and their voting status. Specifically, such a proposal is supported by 78% of Democrats, 62% of Republicans, and 66% of Independents.
In Mississippi, more than three-quarters (77%) of voters support efforts to notify citizens when their voting eligibility has been restored, including 87% of Democrats, 92% of Independents, and 65% of Republicans. Similarly, 75% of Mississippi voters support the state providing public information on a website regarding what steps citizens with past felony convictions can take to have their voting eligibility restored, including 77% of Democrats, 89% of Independents, and 71% of Republicans.
The data and analysis in this memo is based on several polls conducted in 2022 and 2023 on behalf of Secure Democracy Foundation and/or Secure Democracy USA:
Arizona statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in November 2023 by Noble Predictive Insights
Connecticut statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in March 2023 by SurveyUSA
Florida statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in November 2023 by the Tyson Group
Kentucky statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in January 2022 by the Tyson Group
Mississippi statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in November 2023 by Arc Insights
Missouri statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in January 2023 by Cygnal Polling & Analytics
Wisconsin statewide poll of general election voters, conducted in November 2023 by Public Opinion Strategies
Secure Democracy Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that produces research and analysis focused on voting and elections. We work to educate the public on how our election systems are secure and trustworthy.
Secure Democracy USA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that works to build confidence in our elections and improve voter access across the United States. We educate policymakers and the public about what it takes to safeguard our voting systems. We use sophisticated survey and messaging research to inform our strategy and we collaborate with state leaders, election administrators, policy experts, and allies to ensure that all eligible citizens have the freedom to vote how they choose.