New legislation could allow convicted felons the chance to vote

MARYLAND. – House Bill 710, if passed, would require the State Board of Elections to provide a voter hotline for incarcerated individuals. This bill would give incarcerated people the chance to vote. Delegate of District 38C, Wayne Hartman, is completely against the idea.

“I believe if someone cannot uphold the laws, and is in a position where convicted, they shouldn’t vote on people who create the laws.”

Delegate Hartman said the imprisoned have not shown the responsibility to vote. “It’s certainly a privilege to vote, even our kids can’t vote. There has to be a degree of competence, some mental competence to vote.”

While Delegate Hartman thinks voting is a privilege. Advocates from Common Cause Maryland disagree. Their executive director, Joanne Antoine, said it’s a constitutional right. “Voting is certainly not a privilege, it’s a right, and it should’ve never been taken away. I understand inside our facilities, these people have been held accountable and they should.

According to Antoine, over 16,000 individuals in the state are incarcerated. If this legislation passes, Maryland would be the first state outside Washington D.C. to have the law. Antoine said while the bill is at a standstill, she will continue to advocate for those who need it.

“It could take a few years, it took us 10 years to pass same-day registration. It may take us even longer, but my hope is under the first black sitting governor that we could move a major reform like this that largely impacts black citizens.”

The bill has passed its first reading, but has not been referred to a committee for a second reading.