Voting Rights of Convicted Felons in Connecticut

RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS FOR CONVICTED FELONS

Convicted felons who are on either parole or probation have the right to vote in Connecticut. In June of 2021, the Connecticut state legislature passed Public Act No. 21-2 https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/sum/pdf/2021SUM00002-R03SB-01202-SUM.pdf, which restored voting rights to people with felony convictions who have been released from prison and placed on parole status.

For further information, see the Issue Brief “Voting Rights After Felony Conviction,” posted on the website of the Connecticut Office of Legislative Research: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/rpt/pdf/2021-R-0188.pdf

Voting Rights PSA from the Connecticut Secretary of State

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Being incarcerated does not necessarily prohibit you from exercising your RIGHT TO VOTE!

You can register to vote in Connecticut if you:
**are a United States citizen
**are a resident of a Connecticut town
**are at least 18 years old (or you are 17 and turn 18 on or before election day)
**If you have completed your sentence and have been released from prison, you may register to vote, even if you are still on parole or probation.

Individuals would not be eligible to vote with a criminal record in the following situations:
1. Federal or Out of State: convicted of a felony and committed to confinement in a federal or out-of-state prison
2. State: convicted of a felony and committed to confinement in a correctional institution or facility
3. Return to confinement: if you regain your right to vote once released from prison but return to prison, you will again lose your right to vote while incarcerated. You would need to re-register to vote after being released from prison.
4. If individuals have been convicted of a violation of Title 9 of the Connecticut Election Statutes, then they cannot restore their right to vote until discharged from probation and/or parole.

You lose your voting rights in Connecticut if you are convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of the Department of Correction on or before Election Day.

• If you request an absentee ballot and are later convicted of a felony, you may NOT vote, even if you received a ballot in the mail. If you fill out a ballot AFTER conviction, you will be prosecuted for voter fraud.

Visit the ACLU webpage on “Know Your Rights: Voting on Parole – Know Your Rights: Voting on Parole | ACLU of Connecticut (acluct.org)

For more information on voter registration, absentee ballots and early voting, visit the 211 eLibrary topical paper here: Voter Registration/Absentee Ballots/Early Voting – United Way of Connecticut – 211 and eLibrary (211ct.org)

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by program name:
Registrar of Voters

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SOURCES: Connecticut General Assembly website; Connecticut Secretary of the State website
PREPARED BY: 211/mb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: August2024