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In a democratic society, the right to vote is sacrosanct; it is the cornerstone upon which all other rights and privileges rest. JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA) condemns the recent efforts by Nebraska’s Republican Attorney General and Secretary of State, Mike Hilgers and Bob Evnen, to deny the constitutional rights of a whole segment of its citizens, by halting any new voter registrations of Nebraskans with felony convictions. This non-subtle attempt to impact the outcomes of elections, not only in the State of Nebraska, but the 2024 Presidential Election as well, is a continuation of discrimination that dates back to the era of Jim Crow laws which sought to marginalize Black voters. The 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
JustLeadershipUSA strongly opposes Nebraska officials’ attempts to block the restoration of voting rights.
On July 18, 2024, LB20 which had been recently passed by the state legislature, was set to go into effect. The law eliminated the two-year, post-sentence waiting period before a person with a felony conviction can register to vote once they completed their sentence.
JLUSA’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Ronald Simpson-Bey, released the following statement: “JustLeadershipUSA strongly opposes Nebraska officials’ attempts to block the restoration of voting rights. Such actions erode the very foundation of our democracy, and the fabric of our society, which relies on the principle that every citizen constitutionally deserves to have their voice heard. Denying citizens, who have paid their debt to society the right to vote, perpetuates a cycle of disenfranchisement, exclusion, classism, and racism. By restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated citizens, we uphold the values of redemption, equality, and justice, ensuring that the unalienable rights of our citizens—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—are recognized and protected.”
Blocking voting rights restoration unconstitutionally extends punishment beyond the judicially sanctioned sentence, which runs contrary to the principles of proportionality and fairness enshrined in our legal system.
Learn more about how we are elevating issues impacting the 70+ million justice-impacted Americans at the Federal level through the JustUS Coordinating Council at justuscc.org.
In our 10th anniversary year, JustLeadershipUSA’s work of educating, elevating, and empowering justice-impacted leaders continues and is growing even stronger!
This is going to be a very special time to look back on the past decade of JLUSA’s important work, the 1,600+ leaders we have helped get to the next level in their work, and even more importantly, we will look ahead to the next 10 years and beyond!
We can’t do this without you. We need your support to help us continue to do this work now and into the future. By making a donation in honor of JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, you are saying to the amazing leaders in our network who represent the 70+ million Americans who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, “I see you, and I support you!”
Please give a one-time $100 gift or set up a recurring $10 monthly donation to celebrate JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, and together we will build a fair and just U.S. Thank you!
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JUSTLEADERSHIPUSA, INC
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New York, NY 10087-3681
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JustLeadershipUSA is a non-partisan organization. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the individual author or speaker, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.
Since 2014, JustLeadershipUSA has maintained our commitment to ensuring systems-impacted voices are at the forefront of the movement for criminal legal reform, empowering directly impacted leaders in over 45 states with the tools, resources, and connections to transform their work.
Your donation will provide crucial support for our leadership training programs, empowering future generations of leaders and propelling the work of JLUSA and our alumni as we continue to advocate and push reform on issues that matter the most in our communities.
In just 10 years, JLUSA and our network of leaders have worked to dismantle decades of harm caused by the criminal legal system.