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“Many [people incarcerated in state prisons] in Texas, including people on death row, are eligible to vote — and may not even know it.
“Under a little-known section of state elections law, [people convicted of felonies] who are actively appealing their convictions can legally cast a ballot, even if they’re currently behind bars.
“There are 134,000 people incarcerated in state prisons, including 175 on death row. It’s unclear how many of them may be eligible to vote. State officials do not track this data.
“Surprised you didn’t know this? You’re not alone.
Nobody’s asking to do this because they have no idea that they can.
“The Texas Newsroom interviewed defense attorneys, criminal law experts, voting rights advocates and formerly incarcerated people. Most did not know it was even possible for someone in state prison to vote. No one knew of someone who’d voted under this provision.
“Jennifer Toon [Leading with Conviction™ 2024 participant, pictured above] is the project director at Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance, a nonprofit for current and formerly incarcerated women. She thinks [people incarcerated by the state] would definitely take advantage of their right to vote if it were more accessible.
“‘Nobody’s asking to do this because they have no idea that they can,’ she said.
“The deadline to be registered is Oct. 7. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 25. Election Day is Nov. 5.
“A spokesperson with the Texas Secretary of State, which helps administer elections, warned every case is unique and said incarcerated people should check with a lawyer before trying to cast a ballot.”
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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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.