Felons in Arizona who have been convicted of one felony can apply to have their voting rights reinstated after they have fulfilled the terms of their sentence, including the terms of their probation and parole and paid their legal obligations. However, felons who have been convicted of two or more felony crimes are barred temporarily from voting. In order to get their rights reinstated, they need to be pardoned or the rights need to be restored by a judge.
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Felon Voting Law in Arizona
In Arizona, if you have only one felony conviction under your belt, you automatically regain your civil right to vote. This will occur upon an absolute discharge from the state’s Department of Corrections system or when you complete your probation.
Automatic reinstatement is initiated as well when all court-related fines or costs are paid. If all these criteria are met, a felon only needs to submit a new voter’s registration form. For anyone convicted of two or more felonies, the felon or his attorney must petition the judge to grant a restoration of voter rights. The ACLU outlines these requirements on its site.
How a Felon in Arizona Can Restore Their Voting Rights
Automatic restoration of voting rights are ensured if you commit one felony. The felon only needs to fill out the voter registration form and does not need to make application to the court. As long as he has received full discharge from the Department of Corrections, paid all court costs and has served his allocated terms for probation or parole, a felon can regain his right to vote.
If he has committed more than one felony, then restoring voter rights can be more difficult. In this case, the felon needs to petition the court to restore his voting privileges The petition is usually filed soon after the felon is released from probation. The petition must be made in the county of the sentencing.
A Certificate of Absolute Discharge must be submitted to the court for restoration of voting rights. It is up to a judge to grant or dismiss a petition. If multiple convictions are involved, separate filings must also be made. The law in Arizona mandates that the probation officer or court systems managing a felon’s probation make notification in writing for restoring a felon’s right to vote. You can obtain full details by clicking on the ACLU information site.
Other Resources For Felons in Arizona
Getting Started: If this is your first time to our website, we highly recommend that you visit our getting started page to understand everything we have to offer. You can do so by clicking here.
Jobs For Felons: If you’re a felon looking for a job in Arizona, we have all of the resources you need including job listings by city, companies that hire felons, and our own job board. Click Here to learn more.
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