Legal Director And Local Activist Discuss Voter Rights For Convicted Georgia Felons
The deadline to register to vote in Georgia is quickly approaching.
And a legal nonprofit and a local activist are working to educate people who served felony sentences about their voting rights before the Oct. 5 voter registration deadline.
Brenda Smeeton, the legal director for the Georgia Justice Project, and Bridgette Simpson, a registered voter who recently completed her felony probation sentence, joined Friday’s edition of “Closer Look.”
The women talked with Rose Scott about felony disenfranchisement. During the conversation, Smeeton clarified whether a person who served time for a felony conviction could vote in Georgia.
“The Georgia Constitution says that you cannot vote if you are serving a sentence for a felony conviction of moral turpitude, explained Smeeton.
“There’s no definition for moral turpitude in Georgia’s law, so the way it has been interpreted is to include all felonies. So a lot of people get confused about this and think that if they’ve ever been convicted of a felony, they can’t vote, but that’s not the case,” said Smeeton.
Guests:
- Brenda Smeeton, legal director for the Georgia Justice Project
- Bridgette Simpson, registered voter who served 10 years in prison
To listen to the full conversation, click the audio player above.
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