Mention felon disenfranchisement—the loss of voting rights resulting from a felony conviction—and a lot of Tennesseans will shrug and say something like, “I mean, it’s a felony. You should lose your rights if you commit a felony.”

In 2020, after Black Lives Matter protestors camped overnight in the state park by Capitol Hill, the Tennessee General Assembly made it a felony to camp overnight in a state park. Those convicted will lose their voting rights. Earlier this year, the TGA upped the ante by making it a felony to sleep on local property, like sidewalks. Homeless people could lose their voting rights, one of the few things they have to lose. 

Around 400,000 Tennesseans—including one in five black Tennesseans—can’t vote due to felon disenfranchisement, even though they’ve served their time. Most states automatically restore your voting rights at that point, but not Tennessee. In fact our restoration process is so confusing and complex that it’s almost impossible to navigate, especially if you don’t have money. (Fun fact: we’re the only state that requires payment of back child support. You know, the child support that’s been accruing while the parent is incarcerated.)

Felon disenfranchisement is a political weapon in Tennessee. 

 We just don’t think of it that way because it’s been baked into our system for so long.

Allison
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