Barred From the Ballot Box

“We maintain there is no relationship between someone’s economic status and their right to vote — that mentality is taking us back to the era of Common Law,” she says. “[This amendment] is wealth discrimination. Someone with money can regain their voting rights quicker than those without.”

Abudu adds Tennessee’s restoration process is notoriously complicated and cumbersome, with no streamlining of agencies. Many seeking eligibility face difficulty obtaining information about restitution payments, and local election officials lack guidance from the secretary of state.

Umar Tate, a member of VRRP, is also restricted from voting because of a felony conviction. Prior to his arrest, however, he volunteered in voter registration drives, helped with former-City Councilman Danny Mayfield’s campaign and even ran for Knoxville’s City Council.

Tate says although VRRP is ready to assist potential voters with past felonies regain their rights, the experiences of those who’ve entered the criminal justice system present a challenge to the group’s work.

“They’re trapped in a system that is not necessarily there to rehabilitate but, of course, to punish and might feel that apathy or worthlessness around, well, ‘What good is it going to do for me to participate?’” he says. “So once they serve their time and have their punishment, that right to try to become a productive citizen isn’t immediately granted back to them, and I think that leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths.”

The VRRP hopes to navigate those interested in regaining voting rights through the tangled maze of red tape and encourage them to wield the power that comes with casting a vote.

“I think it’s important for two reasons,” says Tate. “First of all, the right to vote is important and people don’t know how important it is until they lose their right to vote. Also, it empowers people … especially those who’ve been for so long disempowered, whether it be economically, socially or other reasons.”


How to Register to Vote:

1. Obtain a voter registration application from:

- Download the form here.
- Knox County Election Commission office in the Knox County Courthouse, 300 Main St., or online, www.knoxcounty.org/election/votersinformation.php
- Department of Safety, 7320 Region Lane
- Knox County Health Department, 140 Dameron Ave.
- Department of Human Services, 2700 Middlebrook Pike, Suite 100, or 531 Henley St., Suite #210
- Public libraries
- Knox County Clerk, 300 Main St.
- Knox County Register of Deeds, 300 Main St., Suite 225

2. Fill out the voter registration form:

- Complete your name and street address (a P.O. box is not acceptable. If you are homeless, ask a local shelter or community organization if you can receive mail at its address)
- Complete birth date and Social Security number
- Check that this is a new registration
- Check whether you have been convicted of a felony
- Sign your name

3. For registrants with felony convictions:

- Obtain a Certificate of Restoration form from the Knox County Election Commission office in the Knox County Courthouse, 300 Main St., or online, www.knoxcounty.org/election/votersinformation.php, and take it to one of the following for submission: Your probation or parole officer OR An official at the prison or jail OR The circuit or criminal court clerk.

4. Deliver the Voter Registration form (and the Certificate of Restoration form, if applicable) to the Knox County Election Commission Office in the Knox County Courthouse, 300 Main St. Keep a copy of these forms for your records.

- Remember to bring identification that shows the same address you listed on the Voter Registration form, including a Tennessee driver’s license, photo identification, utility bill, bank statement, school identification, release papers or Social Security card.
- To vote in an election, register at least 30 days prior to the election.