Two million U.S. voters with felony convictions have the right to vote—but might not know, researchers say

As get-out-the-vote efforts hit high gear nationwide, a team of sociologists, political scientists and nonprofits in select states are focused on reaching out to some of the more than two million people with felony convictions who may not realize they have the legal right to vote.

UCLA sociology professor Naomi Sugie, along with colleagues from UC Irvine, UC Berkeley School of Law and Stanford University, analyzed the voting obstacles that persist for this population during the Nov. 2022 election and have released their findings in a study published in the October issue of Punishment and Society. This fall, the researchers are continuing to monitor barriers alongside the Project VOICES team, short for Voter Outreach In Communities Experiencing System-Involvement, who are engaged in a massive outreach effort ahead of the upcoming 2024 election.