BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Senator Peter Welch is trying to ensure everyone can cast a vote in elections, including the incarcerated.
In a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting yesterday, Welch talked about the consequences of more restrictive voter laws.
He called for legislation to restore voting rights for marginalized people, including a bill he introduced called the Inclusive Democracy Act, which would guarantee voting rights for incarcerated people.
According to Welch, Vermont and Maine are the only two states where prisoners are given the right to vote.
He also highlighted the importance of re-enfranchisement – when former inmates regain the right to vote once they leave prison.
“Many states have laws that allow a person who has completed his or her sentence to vote. I think that’s important because I think voting is an action, a decision, but the process of voting is engagement, civic engagement,” said Welch.
Welch has introduced a slew of voting bills focusing on ensuring time off from work for voters and supporting election workers amid a rise in threats and intimidation.
