California’s Proposition 17, on the ballot now, gives the state the opportunity to restore voting rights to 50,000 Californians who have completed their sentences and are on parole. People supporting Prop 17. / Photo Credit: Dorsey Nunn If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more. The first time I voted, I was 34 years old. My late arrival at the ballot box wasn’t because I didn’t care about politics or what happened in my community; it was because as someone who was imprisoned from the age of 19 to the age of 31 and on parole until I was 34, the election taking place that year was the first one I could finally vote in. In California, parolees are barred from voting. Nevermind that parole can last a few years or a lifetime, or that Californians on probation and in county jail can vote — if you’re on parole and working hard, paying taxes and raising a family, you have to watch the world around you make all the decisions about your future. California’s Proposition 17, on the ballot now, […]

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