ST. LOUIS – With just five weeks until the 2024 presidential election, most U.S. citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote as long as they are registered. However, for some individuals, the right to vote may be more complicated due to a criminal conviction.
While no federal law directly prohibits convicted felons from voting, the authority to restrict such a situation falls with individual states. It’s not necessarily uncommon for states to govern if and when convicted felons can vote in elections.
Supporters may argue that allowing felons to vote is essential to ensure a more inclusive democracy. Critics, however, may argue that felons should forfeit their role in shaping politics due to their disregard for the law.
For the two states of the St. Louis metropolitan area, Missouri and Illinois, are convicted felons allowed to vote in elections? For this year’s general election and beyond, make sure to keep these considerations in mind.
Missouri
The most recent statue in Missouri to address rules around convicted felons voting was amended in 2017.
Generally speaking, if a potential Missouri voter is still serving a sentence for a felony conviction, they cannot vote. If all terms of serving the sentence for a felony conviction are complete, they could be eligible.
Missouri State Statute 561.026 explains:
“A person who is convicted of any offense shall be disqualified from registering and voting in any election under the laws of this state while confined under a sentence of imprisonment.”
Missouri Statue 561.026
The statue also prevents anyone with a felony or misdemeanor connected with “the exercise of the right to suffrage,” or election-related charges, will never be qualified to vote or register in their lifetime again.
According to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, if you have completed probation and parole after a felony sentence, you are eligible to have your voting rights restored. Anyone who meets those conditions must re-register to vote, as Missouri removes felons from their registration upon conviction.
According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, if you are a convicted felon who has completed a sentence, probation and parole seeking to re-register to vote, contact your local election authority or the Missouri Board of Elections 800-669-8683 to re-register.
Illinois
The most recent statue in Illinois to address rules around convicted felons voting was amended in 2021.
Generally speaking, if a potential Illinois voter is still serving a sentence for a felony conviction, they cannot vote. If all terms of serving the sentence for a felony conviction are complete, they have the right to vote again.
Illinois General Assembly Code 730 ILCS 5/5-5-5 explains:
A person sentenced to imprisonment shall lose his right to vote until released from imprisonment.
Illinois General Assembly Code 730 ILCS 5/5-5-5
Upon completing a prison sentence or being discharged from probation, Illinois restores voting rights to anyone who had them suspended or revoked while imprisoned. One does not necessarily have to re-register to vote as long as their other registration information is up to date.
Unlike Missouri, Illinois statutes don’t immediately ban someone from voting again if their felony is an election-related offense, though certain cases could be up for review and possibly lead to permanent disenfranchisement depending on the severity of the offense.
