Many Alabamians who think they can’t vote actually can. This page answers the questions we hear most often — about the law, about where it came from, and about what it means for you. If you’d rather we just check your record, that’s free, and it’s the surest way to get a real answer.
What is felony disenfranchisement?
Felony disenfranchisement is the suspension of voting rights after a criminal conviction. Each state sets its own policy, and they vary enormously. Two states — Maine and Vermont — place no restrictions at all, and allow people to vote from prison. Alabama is one of 11 states with the strictest policies, restricting the right to vote not only during probation or parole but, for many people, indefinitely — even after every part of the sentence has been completed.
Where did these laws come from?
Felony disenfranchisement laws have always existed in some form in this country, but they were expanded and enforced far more broadly after the end of slavery in the 19th century and the passage of the 15th Amendment, which extended voting rights to African American men. Erin Kelly of the Brennan Center for Justice documents those origins in “Racism & Felony Disenfranchisement: An Intertwined History.”
How many people does this affect?
The Sentencing Project estimated in 2024 that roughly 4 million Americans cannot vote because of a past felony conviction. In “Locked Out — 2024” they report that 227,437 Alabamians are currently disenfranchised — about 6 percent of the voting age population. For African Americans in Alabama the rate is a quarter higher, at 8 percent.
Why do unpaid fines and fees keep people from voting?
In Alabama, many people have completed their sentence in full and still cannot vote, simply because fines or fees from the conviction remain outstanding. These “legal financial obligations” are often substantial, and their consequences reach well beyond the ballot box.
Alabama Appleseed documented this across the state in “Under Pressure” (2019). Researchers Marc Meredith and Michael Morse analyzed the effect on Alabama voting rights using state corrections and parole data in “Discretionary Disenfranchisement: The Case of Legal Financial Obligations,” published in the Journal of Legal Studies.
Are these laws changing?
In both directions. Over the last two decades, 23 states have expanded voting rights for people with felony convictions — the Sentencing Project catalogs every major state action since 1997 in “Expanding the Vote,” and the Brennan Center tracks current efforts in its State Reform Project.
Alabama moved the other way. In the 2024 legislative session the state passed a law expanding the list of disqualifying felonies from about 40 to more than 120. Read more about House Bill 100 here.
Does every felony conviction take away your right to vote in Alabama?
No. Only convictions on Alabama’s “moral turpitude” list take away the right to vote. That list is set by state law — the 2017 Definition of Moral Turpitude Act, expanded in 2024 (Act 2024-341, Ala. Code § 17-3-30.1).
Many felonies are not on that list. Felony drug possession, felony DUI, receiving stolen property, and breaking and entering a vehicle are all examples. If your conviction isn’t on the list, you never lost your right to vote, and you can register today. You can check the full list of convictions here.
Can a misdemeanor take away my right to vote?
Never. Not under any circumstances, no matter what it was for.
If you were told you couldn’t vote because of a misdemeanor, or you were removed from the voter rolls after one, that was a mistake — and it’s worth getting looked into. Please reach out and we’ll help you sort it out.
I have a conviction that’s on the list. Is that permanent?
Usually not. Most disqualifying convictions can be restored through a CERV — a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote — a short form filed with the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Once it’s granted, you can register.
A small number of convictions require a pardon instead. Three — treason, impeachment, and an uncommuted death sentence — cannot be restored at all. Everything else has a path.
What do I need to qualify for a CERV?
Four things, all of them:
- Your conviction isn’t one of the few excluded from CERV
- Your sentence is complete, including probation and parole
- All fines, fees, court costs, and victim restitution are paid
- You have no pending felony charges
The fourth one catches people out. If all four are true, the Bureau must issue your certificate after 44 days, once it confirms your application is accurate.
I have a charge pending right now. Can I vote?
This is the question that confuses almost everyone, and the answer runs two ways.
A pending charge does not take away your right to vote. Only a conviction can do that, and a charge is not a conviction. So if you have no disqualifying conviction on your record, you can register today — even with a case pending. Don’t wait.
But a pending felony charge does block a CERV. The state’s form asks whether you have any pending felony charges, and the answer has to be no. So if you’re restoring your rights, that case needs to be resolved first.
A pending misdemeanor charge doesn’t affect either one.
Do I have to pay off my fines and fees first?
For a CERV, yes — all fines, fees, court costs, and restitution on the disqualifying conviction must be paid before the state will issue it.
If that’s where you’re stuck, you are not alone, and there are two processes for asking the state to reduce or waive what’s owed. We can help you find out exactly what you owe and put together a plan. Don’t assume the number in your head is right — we’ll check the court’s actual figure.
What if my conviction was in another state, or in federal court?
It can still matter under Alabama law, and it isn’t something we can look up in Alabama’s court records. Tell us about it when you reach out and we’ll look into it rather than guess.
My conviction was decades ago. Does that change anything?
Not by itself — Alabama has no waiting period that restores rights automatically with time. What matters is which conviction it was, whether the sentence is complete, and whether anything is still owed. An old conviction is often easier to resolve, because sentences are long finished and balances have frequently been paid.
I was told years ago that I couldn’t vote. Could that have been wrong?
Yes, and it often is. The law changed in 2017, and again in 2024. Many people were told they had lost their vote before those changes, or were simply given wrong information at the time. We regularly meet people who have been told for years that they don’t count — and who turn out to have been eligible the whole time.
If you’re not sure, let us check. It costs nothing and it settles the question.
Is this really free? What’s the catch?
It’s free. There’s no catch, no fee, and no obligation.
We will never ask you for a Social Security number, a bank account, or a payment. If anyone claiming to be from Return My Vote asks you for those, it isn’t us.
How do I find out for certain?
Ask us. A Return My Vote volunteer will look up your Alabama court record and send you a personalized memo explaining whether you can register now, what’s standing in the way if anything, what you owe if anything, and exactly what to do next.
We’ll need your full name and date of birth to find your record. Everything you tell us is confidential.
The deadline to register for the November 3, 2026 election is Monday, October 19, 2026. If you need a CERV first, start now — the process takes several weeks.
Questions? Call (205) 433-7084 or email admin@return-my-vote.org.
Interested in Return My Vote’s contributions to the study of felony disenfranchisement? Check out our research reports.