ST. PAUL, MN –  On Tuesday night the Minnesota Senate passed a bill allowing convicted felons still serving probation to vote in elections. Already passed by the House, the bill heads to Governor Walz’s desk where it is expected to be signed. Many states, including Minnesota, require felons to lose many civil rights, including voting, when convicted. Current Minnesota law requires both incarceration and time on probation to be completed before having their right to vote restored. The law was upheld as constitutional by the Minnesota Supreme Court last week.

“Allowing convicted felons to influence public policy and election outcomes has always been a concern of Minnesota officials. That’s why felons are not allowed to have voting rights until their entire sentence, both incarceration and probation, are completed,” Sen. Warren Limmer (R- Maple Grove) said. The Minnesota Supreme Court recently upheld the current policy that prohibits a felon from voting until incarceration and the full term of probation is completed and ruled that our current law is constitutional,” Limmer continued. “Felonies are serious crimes that should require serious consequences. Probation is a time when criminals are to prove they can adjust to their freedom without reverting to former criminal activity. We expect to see them follow the law fully before we allow them to choose lawmakers and judges.”

Senator Limmer offered several amendments to prevent certain egregious violent criminals and those convicted of a felon for voter fraud from regaining their right to vote until their full sentence – both incarceration and probation- are completed. Another amendment offered by Republicans would simply require a two-year waiting period after release from prison before voting rights could be restored. Democrats voted down these commonsense proposals on a party-line vote.