HARRISBURG, - State Senator LeAnna M. Washington (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) said September 16, 2008 that she wants everyone who is eligible to vote to vote without any barriers or false information that robs them of their constitutional right.
“In Pennsylvania,” Washington noted, “people with felony convictions on their record can vote if they are not serving time for a felony conviction when they vote on Election Day.” Washington noted that prohibition of those convicted of a felony from voting for five years after their release was eliminated in 2000
The law allows all people convicted of felonies to register as soon as they are released, as long as they are not in a halfway house on pre release status.
People who are on probation, parole, or house arrest can vote. Also, people who are awaiting trial can vote, even if they are in prison. The only time a person convicted of a felony cannot vote is when he/she is serving his/her sentence behind bars or is on pre-release status.
People can vote from a penal institution by absentee ballot if they are convicted of a misdemeanor. To get an absentee ballot, you must fill out an absentee ballot request form/application and return it by the appropriate deadline.
