We know that one of the most egregious violations of civil rights in America has to do with the fact that in most states, ex-convicts and incarcerated Americans are not allowed to vote. Well, some judges in Washington state have opened the door for felons to have their civil rights restored.

In a landmark decision that could change the face of felon voting rights throughout the nation, three judges in Washington state ruled that felons should be allowed to vote.

Currently, only Maine and Vermont allow those in prison to cast votes, and the decision in Washington state has the ability to affect laws throughout the nation. The vote was 2-1 by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which overturned the ruling of a district judge in Spokane who ruled that the state's Felon Disenfranchisement Law was not a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The two appellate judges ruled that the disparities in the Washington state justice system "cannot be explained in race-neutral ways."

If the ruling stands, it can serve as a basis for litigation for any area covered by the 9th circuit, including Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas.

Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, had this to say: "They are issues that permeate the justice system and are relevant in every state." Mauer claims that an estimated 5.3 million people nationwide are ineligible to vote because of a felony on their record.

The ruling was a progressive, bold and important move on the part of the judges. We all know that with the racial disparities in sentencing and incarceration, existing laws against felon voting rights serve to disenfranchise a significant percentage of the minority population. By making this move, the judges have opened the door for Americans to more accurately live up to our ideals of liberty and justice for all. Our nation just got a little bit better.


Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.