Georgia Felony Disenfranchisement and Legal Financial Obligations: NVRA Notice Letter (February 2019)

On February 26, 2019, CLC, along with the Southern Center for Human Rights, sent a letter to the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia requesting the policies and procedures governing the voter eligibility and voter registration of individuals in Georgia who have been convicted of felonies. The letter explains how Georgia’s guidance on the question of when the sentences of disenfranchised individuals are deemed “complete,” such that they may register to vote, has been incomplete and inconsistent. Specifically, Georgia has not clarified how an individual’s outstanding legal financial obligations affect his or her eligibility to vote. The letter urges Georgia’s officials to modify the state voter registration form and the Georgia-specific instructions on the federal voter registration form to describe these policies. The letter was sent pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (“NVRA”).