I was thinking yesterday about the existential challenges facing American democracy today and what my grandfather, Whitney Young, Sr., would say if he were here.
Granddaddy was born near Payne Station in Kentucky off the L.& N. railroad track. He was the son of a bricklayer and launderess and endured the many indignities of being Black in America during segregation, including having to fight in a segregated army. But, he put his life on the line for democracy because he believed in its fundamental principles.
Could he have imagined that, according to an NPR/Ipsos poll, two-thirds of Republicans believe fraud helped Biden win the presidential elections – including 20 Republicans running for secretaries of state – though there has been no credible evidence of this? I’m sure he would be shocked. Mind you, this is not about partisanship, but respect for the truth.
Granddaddy became the principal of a boarding high school for African American students in Kentucky for 35 years. As an educator, if he were alive today, I’m sure he would be working to help all eligible people know about their right to vote – especially those impacted by the justice system.
The Sentencing Project estimates that in 2020, some 52 million Americans were disenfranchised because of a felony conviction. The Marshall Project reports that 13 states expanded voting rights for people with felony convictions between 2016 and 2020. But, while millions of formerly incarcerated people can now vote, only one in four registered in time for the 2020 elections.
California restored the right to vote to over 50,000 people on parole in 2020. So, here’s the information we need to know to accurately spread the word. To be eligible to vote in California, you are required to be a United States citizen, a resident of this state, 28-years-old or older on Election Day, not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
You can register to vote if you are in county jail, are serving a misdemeanor sentence, serving a felony jail sentence, awaiting trial, on parole, on probation, on mandatory supervision, on post-release community supervision, on federal supervised release, or a person with a juvenile wardship adjudication. But, people who are formerly incarcerated must register.
If Granddaddy lived in Los Angeles today, I’m sure he’d say, “O.K. Let’s get busy. Let’s help our families, neighbors and community know their voice matters.”
For information on voting, go to: RegisterToVote.ca.gov
Watch Bonnie Boswell Reports on KCET,Fridays at 2:58p or go to kcet.org/bonnieboswellreports
