Most states restrict the voting rights of former felons to some degree, and an estimated six million people nationwide are barred from voting because of felony convictions.

Do you think people who have been convicted of crimes should be allowed to vote? Why or why not?

In “They Served Their Time. Now They’re Fighting for Other Ex-Felons to Vote,” Farah Stockman writes about a growing movement pushing to politically empower formerly incarcerated people:

Ever since his own three-month stint behind bars, Steve Huerta has mentored fathers emerging from prison. But it soon dawned on him that they needed more than advice to break the cycle of joblessness and incarceration. What they needed, he decided, was political power. So seven years ago, Mr. Huerta, a community organizer in San Antonio, began a door-knocking campaign to encourage former felons to vote, which is their right in Texas as long as they are no longer on probation or parole. Mr. Huerta has recruited formerly incarcerated people to head precincts, responsible for getting their neighbors to the polls. And he meticulously tracks the turnout rate of 98,000 voters with criminal records. “This is an entirely new voting bloc,” said Mr. Huerta, who now represents his area on a statewide organizing committee for the Democratic Party in Texas. “It’s a political game-changer for struggling communities.” Mr. Huerta is part of a growing national movement that is pushing to politically empower formerly incarcerated people by encouraging them to vote if they are eligible and pushing to restore their rights if they are not. Most states curb the voting rights of former felons to some degree; an estimated six million people nationwide are barred from voting because of felony convictions. But a number of states are now considering whether to get rid of the disenfranchisement laws that block felons from the polls. In Florida, where 10 percent of adults can’t vote because of a felony conviction, a ballot initiative in November would automatically restore voting rights after a prison sentence has been completed. In New Jersey, state legislators are considering a bill that would allow people in prison to vote. It would be the third state, after Maine and Vermont, to do so. Supporters say the movement gives former felons hope that they will one day overcome the stigma of incarceration and be accepted as responsible citizens, in addition to giving impoverished communities a greater voice. But many conservative groups fiercely oppose the changes, arguing that people need to first prove that they are upstanding members of society before they can vote.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

— In your opinion, how important is the right to vote to a democracy? How does the ability to vote affect individuals and communities?

— Do you think ex-felons — people who have committed crimes and served time for them — should have the right to vote? Why or why not?

— Do you believe there should be any limits on individuals’ right to vote if they have committed a crime? For example, should they be allowed to vote while they are still in prison or only after they have served time? Should only certain offenses — for instance, violent crimes — count, or should any felony conviction strip a person’s right to vote? Why do you think the way you do?

— Ms. Stockman writes:

The movement to restore felons’ voting rights has gotten tangled up in partisan ideological battles, with Democratic leaders tending to support expanded access to the ballot and Republicans opposing it.

Why do you think this is? Why might Democrats want ex-felons to be able to vote? What reasons might Republicans have for opposing it? Do your own political beliefs reflect the partisan divide on this issue?