Location: Atlanta

No Taxation Without Representation Campaign

We are resolved to change the Georgia law that prohibits citizens who are on parole or probation from exercising their right to vote. We believe that as long as a person is a law-abiding, tax-paying citizen, they must have access to the institutions that govern their life. This is the fundamental basis for all American laws and values, and to disregard it is to disregard our noble democracy.

Join us in taking a huge step in eradicating this state sponsored second class citizenship by calling upon our Georgia state legislature to bring back dignity to hundreds of thousands of Georgia citizens and fully restore their right to vote.

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Representation in exchange for taxation was one of the founding principles of the United States of America. It embodies our national resistance to tyranny.

Yet in 2020, centuries after the U.S. gained freedom, justice, and democracy, Georgia has more people on parole and probation than any other state, and remains one of 30 states that does not restore voting rights upon release from prison. Such denial subverts the dignity of the American democratic experience.

The power of the vote is the power of self-determination. It’s the ability to have a say so in deciding what we believe to be best for ourselves, our families and our communities. To deny access to government and the distribution of power that exercises authority over us, while at the same time imposing scores of taxes upon us, is fundamentally unAmerican and needs to be corrected immediately. None of us want to be defined by the mistakes we made in the past, particularly when we’ve learned from those mistakes, grown, and are now actively better because of it.

Over 250,000 law-abiding Georgia citizens are denied the right to vote.

Register to Vote in Georgia

Join the Movement!

We want to hear directly from you about why Georgia needs to allow all of its citizens to register to vote and participate in all elections after they have completed their incarceration.

Below are some suggestions about what to share:

  • How has being on parole or probation impacted your ability to engage with the community?
  • How has the parole/probation of a family member impacted you or them?
  • Has it been a barrier to participate in local and national politics?
  • How long is your parole/probation?
  • How many elections have you been excluded from?
  • Prior to your incarceration, have you been able to vote? If so, what did that experience mean to you?
  • If you are no longer on parole or probation, have you registered to vote? If not, why not?
  • What barriers have you experienced? If yes, what did that experience mean to you?

If you prefer to share your story via one-to-one, or if you have any questions or concerns, please email our community organizer and warrior for returning the right to vote to formerly incarcerated individuals, Kareemah, at [email protected]

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Frequently Asked Questions

There is a lot of confusion and misinformation about who can and cannot vote in Georgia when they have a criminal record. Below is some information on voting rights in Georgia.

Please read to know if you are eligible to register to vote in Georgia.

I’ve been arrested in Georgia

If you are not serving a sentence for a felony conviction and are registered to vote, you are eligible to vote.

I was sentenced under the First Offender Act or Conditional Discharge

A felony First Offender Act or Conditional Discharge case isn’t considered a conviction unless the FOA or CD status is revoked by a judge. If that has not been revoked, you are eligible to vote. If that status was revoked to change your charge into a conviction, you are not eligible to vote until the sentence is completed.

I am currently in jail

If you are not serving a sentence for a felony conviction, you are eligible to vote. To register, you must mail the registration application to a local registration office.

I was convicted of a misdemeanor

You are eligible to vote. Only those convicted of a felony are ineligible until the completion of the sentence.

I pled “Nolo Contendere” to a felony offense

If you’ve pled “Nolo”, meaning “I do not wish to contend”, you are still eligible to vote, even while serving the sentence.

I am currently in prison

Unless you are serving a First Offender Act or Conditional Discharge sentence, you are ineligible to vote until the sentence is completed.

I am on probation

If the probation is for a misdemeanor conviction, or a felony First Offender Act or Conditional Discharge sentence, then you are eligible to vote. You are not eligible to vote on probation for a felony conviction until the sentence is complete. However, a new law passed in 2021 allows many people to terminate their probation sentences early. See GJP.org/probation to learn more.

What if I still owe fines or fees?

According to the Secretary of State, fines are canceled upon completion of probation and your sentence is considered complete even if you have other outstanding monetary obligations, such as unpaid restitution, fees, costs, and surcharges. So, if you have completed prison, parole, and probation, you can vote.

How do I know if my sentence is complete?

No documentation is required in order to register to vote, but if you are not sure if your sentence is complete or want peace of mind, you can request a Certificate of Sentence Completion from the Department of Community Supervision (DCS). This Certificate confirms you are no longer under felony supervision and have completed your sentence. To obtain a Certificate, contact the DCS Call Center at 678-783-4337 or request from your local probation office.

Other requirements

By election day, you must be at least 18 years old, and have a photo ID. You must be a U.S. citizen, a Georgia resident, and have not been declared mentally incompetent.

How to register

You can apply online here. You can also go to your local voter registration or election office, the public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools, and other government offices for a mail-in form.

Criminal history documentation

You are not required to provide any criminal history documentation to register to vote. Granted, some people have been wrongfully removed from registration due to their criminal record, so securing a Certificate of Sentence Completion from the Department of Community Supervision can help establish that you are eligible to vote. To obtain a Certificate, contact the DCS Call Center at 678-783-4337 or request from your local probation office.

I am still serving a sentence for a felony

Do not register to vote. It is against the law to register to vote in Georgia when you know that you are not eligible.

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To help support IMAN and our efforts, please consider making a zakat-eligible donation to IMAN today. Our efforts are fueled by the support, love and prayers of beloved community members such as yourself.