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Tuesday, April 29, 2025

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Mark Carney wins new term as Canada's Prime Minister on anti-Trump platform; Without key funding, Alabama faces new barriers to college access; MS could face steep postal privatization costs under Trump-Musk plan; New Hampshire's rail trails ensure accessibility for all.

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Major shifts in environmental protections, immigration enforcement, civil rights as Trump administration reshapes government priorities. Rural residents and advocates for LGBTQ youth say they're worried about losing services.

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Migration to rural America increased for the fourth year, technological gaps handicap rural hospitals and erode patient care, and doctors are needed to keep the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians healthy and align with spiritual principles.

AL advocates push to restore voting rights for the formerly incarcerated

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Thursday, February 27, 2025   

An Alabama group is urging lawmakers to simplify the voter restoration process for people who have lost their right to vote. In Alabama, more than 8% of adults, or one in 13 people, are disenfranchised, according to The Sentencing Project.

JaiGregory Clarke, Birmingham organizer with Faith in Action Alabama, warns that the number is likely to increase due to House Bill 100, which expands the list of crimes that can strip voting rights. He said the law bars thousands from the ballot, including people who were previously eligible to vote. His organization is pushing for reforms to ensure that once individuals have served their time, they can fully participate in democracy.

"If someone re-enters the community, if they've served their time and they've paid their debt to society and they're active, meaning they are employed and are paying taxes, then they should absolutely have voting rights or say in the policies that govern our community," Clarke said.

Clarke explained that regaining the right to vote in Alabama is a complicated and costly process. People must complete their sentence, pay all fines, fees and restitution - which can total thousands of dollars - and then apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote, or CERV.

To change that, Clarke said voting-rights advocates are backing Senate Bill 7. If passed, the bill would introduce several major changes to Alabama's voting system. It would allow same-day voter registration, eliminate the need for an excuse to vote absentee, and create a statewide voter database. Clarke believes the bill would make the voting process fairer and more accessible, and added that it would not only streamline the process of restoring voting rights but also expand access to voting across the state.

"What it proposes is a complete overhaul of the way people get their voting rights back in Alabama," Clarke said.

The bill would also establish an Alabama Voting Rights Commission to oversee election changes and require preclearance for certain decisions at the state and local levels - ensuring new policies don't unfairly impact eligible voters. Sponsored by Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, the legislation is currently awaiting committee action.

Disclosure: Faith in Action Alabama contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Civic Engagement, Gun Violence Prevention, Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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