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More Than 56,000 Felons Can Now Register to Vote in North Carolina

An appeals court ruling overturned a 1973 law that prohibited convicted felons from registering to vote while on probation, parole, or post-release supervision.

As of Wednesday, any person serving a felony sentence in North Carolina outside of jail can register to vote, a change which will impact more than 56,000 people. The decision, which was announced by the State Board of Elections, follows an appeals court ruling overturning a 1973 law that prohibited convicted felons from registering to vote while on probation, parole, or post-release supervision. As the Associated Press reported, the appeals court found that preventing convicted felons who are not in jail from registering to vote and casting ballots violates the state’s Constitution, as it discriminates against Black residents. In May, the State Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of the decision overturning the law, meaning that the voting restriction may return if the trial court’s ruling is overturned.