GATESVILLE, Texas (KXXV) — Marci Simmons has been out of prison for nearly four years, but she still cannot vote in Texas elections. Under current state law, those on felony probation, parole, or currently serving time are excluded from participating in elections until they have fully completed their sentence. In Simmons' case, it means not being eligible to vote until 2030.
"What we know about our population is, there’s this myth that nobody with a felony conviction can vote, and that’s simply not true," Simmons said.
Now, Travis County State Senator Sarah Eckhardt has filed Senate Bill 631, and Williamson County State Representative John Bucy has filed House Bill 590. Both bills seek to restore the voting rights of individuals on felony probation or parole once they have completed their sentence, rather than requiring them to wait for their sentence periods to officially end.
“We’re silenced, right? We are unseen, we are unheard. We’re told by the state, ‘Hey, we trust you to be out here. Hey, we want your tax money, but no, we don’t care about your opinion,’” Simmons said.
Simmons believes that restoring voting rights for individuals who have served their sentences would allow many to fully reintegrate into society and make their voices heard in local elections.
"I’ve been doing everything right: working, paying taxes, raising my family, teaching my kids about civic engagement and how to get involved in local elections, especially when it's really tricky when I’m not allowed to myself," she explained.
As lawmakers await hearings on the bills, Simmons remains hopeful.
“People returning from incarceration, we are your coworkers, we are your neighbors, we are community members, and we deserve a say in what happens in the communities where we are raising our families,” Simmons said.
Early voting begins on Tuesday, April 22, and Election Day is Saturday, May 3.
