We’ve let felonies lock millions of citizens out of their voting rights

As we approach the 2024 election, it is time for all of us to consider the millions of people — mostly Black and brown men — who have been systematically locked out of the democratic process due to their history with the criminal legal system.

In every election since 2000, over 4.6 million have been disenfranchised by state laws that prevent people with felony convictions from voting. Depending on the state, people may be denied the right to vote during some or all of their sentence — or for the rest of their...