Tennessee election officials are seeking to postpone changes in how people with felony convictions can register to vote until after this year’s elections, citing a lack of time to implement the changes ordered by a federal court judge. The Tennessee Conference of NAACP filed a lawsuit in 2020 challenging requirements for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking to regain their voting rights, specifically focusing on those convicted before 1981 who were unfairly required to prove their eligibility to register to vote. U.S. District Judge William Campbell ruled in May that the state violated federal voting law and ordered the state to develop a new policy and train election workers accordingly. State officials have appealed Campbell’s order and are now requesting the U.S. Appeals Court to halt the enforcement of the ruling during the appeal process, fearing that implementing changes during an ongoing election could compromise the integrity of electoral processes. The case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding voting rights for individuals with felony convictions in Tennessee and the challenges in ensuring fair and equal access to the voting process.
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Tennessee elections officials seek court intervention to postpone ruling on restoration of voting rights for felons
