Prop 17: California Restores Voting Rights To Parolees

CALIFORNIA — Convicted felons in California who are on parole just had their right to vote restored as voters passed Proposition 17 Tuesday. The legislation was supported by 59 percent of voters, according to an unofficial vote total.

The measure was supported by U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the California Democratic Party, ACLU, the League of Women Voters of California and Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who authored the measure. Supporters raised more than $1.3 million for their campaign.

"Today CA’s righted a wrong & voted to #FreeTheVote, restoring voting rights to individuals on parole," McCarty Tweeted Tuesday. "This is such a good step for democracy & public safety..."

Prop 17 will restores voting rights to some 50,000 parolees by altering the state's Constitution, which disqualified people with felony convictions from voting until the end of their sentence and parole were completed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

It is also the second move to hand more rights back to former inmates, as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September allowing former prisoners to pursue a career in fire.

The initiative appeared on ballots in a time when the Black Lives Matter movement had reignited discussions about incarceration and its impacts on people of color.

Three out of 4 men released from incarceration facilities in California are Black, Latino or Asian American, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via the LA Times.

Opponents of the measure argued that parolees haven’t truly served their time and that restoring their voting rights confers an unearned privilege upon people statistically likely to reoffend.

State Sen. Jim Nielsen, an opponent of the measure, phrased the right to vote as a privilege that parolees don’t deserve.

“Let’s talk a little about the universe we are dealing with here. They include murderers, voluntary manslaughter, rape, sodomists,” Nielsen told the Sacramento Bee. “For those that commit the crimes, particularly the heinous crimes, part of their sentence is to complete the parole period.”

Opponents included Nielsen, the California Republican Party and Crime Victims United.

California will now join 19 other states who allow people convicted of felonies who are on parole to vote.

Check back here for up-to-the minute election results for Prop 17. Patch has you covered with live election results that will be updated until the last ballot is counted.

Proposition 17 was one of two ballot measures seeking state constitutional amendments to expand voting rights.

The measure was part of a nationwide movement to restore voting rights to people who have completed prison sentences. California is just one of a few states that doesn’t let convicted felons vote until they’ve completed their parole. Passage of Prop 17 would instantly restore voting rights to roughly 50,000 people on parole in California.

The state Legislature voted to put Prop 17 on the ballot, and the campaign was one of the quieter in an election year focused on a divisive presidential race along with ballot measures tackling affirmative action, the gig economy and property taxes.

Patch Editor Paige Austin contributed to this report.

Stay updated with the latest election results and news in California. Sign up for free real-time alerts and daily newsletters from Patch.