Yes, a person with a felony conviction can vote for president in every state, but whether you can vote in the next election depends on where you live and where you stand in your sentence. Roughly 4 million Americans are currently locked out because of felony disenfranchisement laws. The Fourteenth Amendment lets each state strip voting rights for “participation in rebellion, or other crime,” and states have used that power in very different ways. Your state’s category, your specific offense, and whether you still owe court-ordered money can all decide the question.
The Four State Approaches
State rules fall into four groups as of early 2026. Figuring out which one applies to you is the first step.1National Conference of State Legislatures. Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons
- No restriction at all in Maine, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. You can request an absentee ballot from prison and vote in every election, including for president.
- Automatic restoration upon release in 23 states. You lose the right while incarcerated and get it back the moment you walk out. No paperwork, no waiting period. Minnesota expanded eligibility this way in 2023, restoring rights to at least 55,000 people. New Mexico followed the same year.2Minnesota Secretary of State. Voting Rights Restored to Formerly Incarcerated Minnesotans
- Restoration only after parole and probation in 15 states. You have to finish supervised release, and some of these states also require outstanding fines, fees, or restitution to be paid before the sentence counts as complete.
- Indefinite loss or additional action in 10 states. Rights may be lost indefinitely for certain crimes, a governor’s pardon may be required, or a waiting period applies even after the full sentence.
Crimes That Can Permanently Block Voting
Even in states with generous general rules, specific convictions can create a permanent bar. This is where people get caught out by assuming the general rule fits their case.
Delaware permanently disenfranchises people convicted of murder, bribery, or sexual offenses. Kentucky’s constitution bars anyone convicted of treason, a felony, or bribery in an election unless the governor grants a pardon. Maryland singles out buying or selling votes as a crime only a pardon can cure.1National Conference of State Legislatures. Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons Mississippi has one of the longest lists under Section 241 of its constitution, and rights can only be restored by a gubernatorial pardon or a bill passed by two-thirds of both legislative chambers.3Mississippi Secretary of State. Disenfranchising Crimes Tennessee requires a court order, and the person must have no outstanding restitution and be current on child support before even filing the petition.4Tennessee Secretary of State. Restoration of Voting Rights
Don’t assume your conviction falls under the general rule. Check whether your specific offense is on a carve-out list. If it is, the path back is longer.
Federal Convictions Follow Your State’s Rules
There is no separate federal system for restoring voting rights after a federal conviction. If you were convicted in federal court, your ability to vote in a presidential election is still governed by the state where you live.1National Conference of State Legislatures. Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons A presidential pardon erases the federal conviction, but it isn’t required if your state already restores rights automatically. A person with a federal drug conviction living in Vermont never lost the right to vote at all. Someone with the same conviction in a state that waits for supervised release to end would have to finish parole first.
What Happens if You Move
Moving states after a conviction can either help or hurt, and the rules are not intuitive. Generally, the state where you currently reside decides whether you can register there. Georgia applies its own law regardless of where the conviction happened: if you aren’t currently serving a felony sentence, you can vote in Georgia. Florida looks at whether the conviction would make you ineligible in the state where you were convicted.
If you’ve moved since your conviction, call the election office in your new state and ask specifically about out-of-state convictions. A pardon or restoration from the conviction state doesn’t automatically transfer. Some states recognize it; others apply their own criteria from scratch.
Fines, Fees, and Restitution
Finishing prison and parole doesn’t always close the book. Many states require all court-ordered fines, fees, and victim restitution to be paid before the sentence is legally complete and voting rights come back.1National Conference of State Legislatures. Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons Balances range from a few hundred dollars in court costs to tens of thousands in restitution. A Mississippi restoration proposal conditions automatic restoration on having “paid all fees, fines and restitution associated with the conviction.”5Mississippi Legislature. Mississippi Code SB2631 – Restoration of Voting Rights Act
Some states let you petition a court for an ability-to-pay hearing, where a judge can reduce or waive the remaining balance if you can show you can’t afford it. If unpaid money is the only thing between you and a ballot, ask a public defender’s office or a legal aid organization whether your state offers this relief.
The Risk of Voting While Ineligible
Voting when you’re not yet eligible is itself a crime and can produce a new felony conviction, restarting the whole cycle. Under federal law, knowingly providing false information to establish eligibility to vote in a federal election carries a fine of up to $10,000, up to five years in prison, or both.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 52 USC 10307 – Prohibited Acts Most states add their own penalties.
Prosecutors have charged people in exactly this situation. “I thought my rights were restored” is a weak defense because most voter registration forms make you affirm eligibility under penalty of perjury. If you have any doubt, verify before you register. Getting it wrong can mean going back to prison, not just having a ballot rejected.
How to Confirm You’re Eligible
Don’t guess. Vote.gov points you to your state’s specific rules for voting after a felony conviction. To confirm your personal status, you’ll usually want three things in hand:
- A Certificate of Discharge, Certificate of Sentence Completion, or similar document from the state Department of Corrections or the supervising agency, showing that incarceration, parole, and probation are all finished.
- A statement from the clerk of courts showing a zero balance on all fines, fees, and restitution. Many county clerks offer online case-lookup tools.
- Confirmation from your county Board of Elections or Secretary of State’s office that your name no longer appears on any disenfranchised voter list. Administrative records can lag behind the actual completion of a sentence.
Once you’ve confirmed eligibility, registration is straightforward. Most states offer online registration through the Secretary of State’s site. You can also register in person at your local elections office, and in many states at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The form will ask about felony convictions and restoration; answer honestly, because that statement is sworn. Processing usually takes a few weeks, after which a voter registration card arrives at your home address.
Registration Deadlines
Eligibility won’t help you if you miss the deadline. Federal law lets states set registration cutoffs no more than 30 days before an election. About half of states use a 28- to 30-day deadline; others let you register closer to Election Day.7National Conference of State Legislatures. Voter Registration Deadlines Roughly 19 states and Washington, D.C. offer same-day registration, letting you register and vote on Election Day. North Dakota doesn’t require voter registration at all.
If you’re still working through rights restoration, build in extra time. Getting discharge papers, verifying balances, and waiting for administrative records to update can take weeks or months. Start well before the presidential registration deadline so a paperwork delay doesn’t cost you your vote.
One boundary worth noting: misdemeanor convictions almost never affect the right to vote. Felony disenfranchisement laws target felony-level offenses, so if someone told you a misdemeanor makes you ineligible, that advice is almost certainly wrong.