DOVER, Del. — A proposed amendment to the Delaware Constitution would restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies once they have completed their prison sentences, a change supporters say removes barriers to voting while critics argue some crimes should permanently disqualify a person from casting a ballot.
House Bill 180 passed the Delaware House of Representatives on June 16 by a 30-10 vote and has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee.
The measure, sponsored by House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, D-Dover, would limit the loss of voting rights for individuals convicted of felonies to the period during which they are incarcerated, or until they receive a pardon, whichever comes first.
Under the proposal, the General Assembly would no longer be able to permanently revoke voting rights as punishment for a crime. The bill would also remove Delaware's list of felonies that currently result in permanent disenfranchisement and prohibit the restoration of voting rights from being contingent on the payment of fines or other monetary obligations.
Some Delawareans voiced support for the proposal.
"They've paid their debt to society, and there's no reason why they shouldn't have their legal rights back," said Ruth McKeown.
Lewes local Joe Kehoe also supported restoring voting rights after a sentence has been served.
"As long as they do their time," Kehoe said. "I think that they should be able to vote."
Others expressed concerns about the proposal. One Delawarean who spoke with CoastTV off-camera said voting eligibility should depend on the type of felony committed and argued some individuals should permanently lose what he described as the privilege to vote.
In addition to addressing felony disenfranchisement, the bill would make several other changes to Delaware's Constitution. The proposal would remove residency-duration requirements for voting, update constitutional language to reflect that residents may vote beginning at age 18 and eliminate literacy test requirements that are already prohibited under federal law.
Because HB 180 is a constitutional amendment, it must be approved by two consecutive General Assemblies. If it clears the Senate during the current legislative session, lawmakers elected after the next general election would need to pass the same amendment before it could take effect.
