Can Felons Vote in North Dakota

(Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – The League of Women Voters of North Dakota is coordinating with state agencies and jails to make sure people with criminal records know their voting rights.

Under state law, North Dakota residents cannot vote while incarcerated for a felony. They can vote after they’re released, however, as long as they meet all other requirements. People can also vote if they’re serving time for a misdemeanor, or if they’ve been charged but not convicted.

But these nuances aren’t well understood by the public, said Whitney Oxendahl, a volunteer for the League of Women Voters of North Dakota.

Many volunteers for the League meet people who think having a felony means they permanently lose their voting rights, she said. Sometimes people with felonies also think they can vote in state elections but not federal races.