Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R), signed an Executive Order 7, August 5, 2020, Restoring Voting Rights to, estimated 35,000 to 45,000, Iowans with Felony Convictions. One year later, most haven't Registered to Vote.
The Executive Order 7 Automatically Restored Voting Rights to Iowans who have Completed their Sentences, including Probation, Parole, and Special Sentences associated with Sex Offenses. People with Murder or Manslaughter Convictions must Apply to the Governor for Rights Restoration.
One year after, only about 5,000 of those, who previously had their Registrations Canceled because of a Conviction have Re-Registered to Vote.
Voting Rights Advocates say the State should put more effort into Reaching People to let them know they can Vote.
A Report from The Marshall Project, in June, put the number of at 5,000, and the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office said, only 4,127 People had Re-Registered as of January 29th. And only 3,179 of the Re-Registered Voters Voted in the 2020 Rlection.
Betty Andrews, President of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, spent years pushing for the Restoration of Voting Rights. She said she wants to see the Number of Newly Eligible People Registered to Vote Increase. “It would be great to wave the wand and all of them are registered, but certainly it’s going to take a lot more promotion and manpower to ensure that they are getting to the polls,” Andrews said.
She said it’s important to Help People understand that they can Vote once they’re Done with Probation or Parole, and that they don’t have to Pay off their Fines and Fees to be able to Vote in Iowa. Andrews has worked with State Officials to Update the Voter Registration Form and Online Resources.
She said she has asked Reynolds to keep Talking about the Issue to Raise Awareness, and she believes State Agencies should do more Outreach to the Tens of Thousands of Potential New Voters. “There should be an ongoing promotion of this new right just because it’s so new,” Andrews said. “And because there’s hesitancy, and there is concern in terms of trust with a system that may have had you confined for a number of years.”
The Department of Corrections (DOC) sends a Letter along with a Person’s Discharge Papers that Notifies them they have the Right to Vote. The DOC also has Information on its website about Voting Rights, and those who aren’t sure if they can Vote can Call the DOC and ask.
“Those that answer the main phone line for the department and those working in community supervision across the state are able to assist those with questions in looking up their past convictions and discharge dates if they require assistance,” DOC Spokesperson, Cord Overton said.
Andrews said she thinks the DOC should also provide People Leaving the System with a Voter Registration Form and get them Registered as soon as possible.
The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office created a Website with Information about Voting Rights Restoration at: restoreyourvote.iowa.gov.
The SOS Spokesperson, Kevin Hall, said the Office Mails Voting Information, each General Election year, to Tens of Thousands of People who are Eligible to Vote but haven’t Registered. He said the Office is “strongly considering” sending that Information every year.
The State has Not mailed Information to Newly Eligible Voters that is specifically geared toward People with Past Felony Convictions, nor has the State been trying to Contact this Group of Potential Voters. According to Hall, the DOC has the Contact Information for People who Complete their Sentences.
ACLU of Iowa Communications Director, Veronica Fowler, said the Executive Order 7 was a “quantum leap forward,” but called the Number of People Registered in the past year “disappointingly small.” “We think it’s not because people aren’t interested in voting, as much as it is that there’s still a lot of confusion about who can vote,” Fowler said.
The Next Statewide Elections are this Fall when Iowans will have a chance to Vote for City Officials and School Board Members.
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