Sponsors and supporters of a new voting-rights law this week are taking note of new rules-of-the-road for restoring voting rights for ex-cons. 

After years of pressing for the legislation, Rep. Jeannie Darneille and colleagues last session finally won approval of House Bill 1517, which says that once a felon has completed prison time and community supervision, he or she can register to vote.  Previously, the person also had to settle all legal financial obligations, including restitution and court costs, before regaining the right to vote. 

With a 12 percent annual interest added to the total costs, for some poor people that amounted to “a modern-day poll tax” that could never be paid off, Darneille said at a rollout event sponsored Tuesday by students at the University of Washington-Tacoma and the American Civil Liberties Union. Rep. Sam Hunt of Olympia praised the legislation and Katie Blinn of the state Elections Division said it will provide a “bright line” that will both benefit the ex-convict and give election administrators cleaner voter registration rolls. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, the Senate sponsor, headlined a Seattle rally. 

Secretary of State Sam Reed supported the bill, both for its contribution to cleaner rolls and for its help in reintegrating ex-cons into their communities. He also said he remains strongly committed to victims’ rights and full payment of restitution. 

Check out the Elections Division’s writeup on felons and voting.