ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Tuesday, the Minnesota Senate passed Senator Bobby Joe Champion’s bill to restore the right to vote to incarcerated Minnesotans upon completion of their prison sentence. In response, Chair of the Elections Committee Senator Jim Carlson (DFL-Eagan) released the following statement:
“Today, I proudly voted ‘yes’ on Restore the Vote, a bill that restores the right to vote to Minnesotans upon completion of their felony incarceration. These individuals, many of whom were non-violent offenders, pay taxes, work, and contribute to our communities, deserve to have their voting rights restored.
As Chair of the Elections Committee, I am committed to the work of protecting democracy. I am pleased to see the successful passage of this legislation that will ensure Minnesota joins the 21 other states who no longer allow this inalienable right to be withheld. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard, including the right to vote, no matter what. There is much more work left to do in eliminating the barriers that disenfranchise Minnesota’s voters, but today, I celebrate this tremendous achievement.”
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