Racial Disparities in Colorado’s Voting Bans Highlighted in New Report

Washington, DC – Today the Sentencing Project released a new report, revealing that more than 17,000 Coloradans cannot vote while serving time in prison for a felony conviction, stripping thousands of citizens of their rights. The report highlights how widespread disenfranchisement affects thousands of Colorado citizens.

Key Findings:

• Colorado’s voting bans fall heavily on people of color. They are more likely to be prohibited from voting because of the racial disparities in the state’s criminal-legal system.
• Latinx Coloradans are nearly three times as likely as white Coloradans to lose their right to vote due to imprisonment for a felony; and Black Coloradans are banned from voting at a rate seven times that of white Coloradans.
• Racial disparities in incarceration is diluting the political voice of people of color in Colorado. More than 30% of people with life sentences in Colorado are Black, making them thirteen times more likely to be incarcerated for extremely lengthy sentences than white Coloradans.
• Research shows that participating in democracy can keep people who are justice-impacted engaged and involved in their communities.

“Disenfranchising citizens based on their involvement in the criminal legal system is not only unjust but counterproductive to the principles of democracy,” said Kristen Budd, research analyst at The Sentencing Project.  “Colorado must build on the momentum of the recently signed SB 72, which requires sheriffs to facilitate one-day in-person voting in every jail and detention center in the state. Expanding voting rights to people who are currently incarcerated due to a felony conviction is a critical step towards ensuring that all citizens have a voice in our democracy.”

“Colorado has the opportunity to be a leader in the fight for voting rights. By restoring the rights of people who are incarcerated on felony charges, and allowing them to have a voice in the laws that govern their lives, we are not only addressing a significant racial disparities, but also promoting a more inclusive and just society,” said Kyle Gidding of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, who is formerly incarcerated. “Expanding access to voting is a crucial step in this direction, empowering people and fostering a stronger sense of community and civic engagement.”

Earlier this spring, in partnership with over 40 national and local civil rights organizations, The Sentencing Project wrote Congressional House Members urging  support for the Inclusive Democracy Act, which would restore federal voting rights to people with felony convictions across the country.

The full report on the impacts of Colorado’s felony voting ban can be found here.

About The Sentencing Project
The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice. www.sentencingproject.org

About the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
The Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition (CCJRC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate the overuse of the criminal justice system and advance community health and safety. www.ccjrc.org