Jordan, Jonathan, and 4 others support this project.
Campaign Legal Center

Restore Your Vote: Restoring Voting Rights to People with Past Convictions

Empowering people with felony convictions to restore their right to vote

Posted September 19, 2024

Background & Context

In July 2023, the Tennessee Elections Division overhauled the voting rights restoration process, making it much harder for people to restore their right to vote. They now require people with past felony convictions to (1) get a court order restoring their citizenship rights OR receive a governor’s pardon and (2) get a certificate of restoration filled out by a probation officer, parole officer, or court clerk.

In Arizona, if someone meets the eligibility for rights restoration, they may apply to restore their rights with the appropriate county clerk of court. They should file one form with each of the appropriate clerks that lists all of the convictions over which that clerk has jurisdiction. If their convictions are covered by different jurisdictions, they must file a separate form with each clerk. Some counties have their own form, where possible they should use the form of the corresponding county.

Immediate Problem

The immediate problem that we need solved is having attorneys file rights restoration petitions in Arizona and Tennessee.

Work & Deliverables

Lawyers need to petition the circuit court in the county where the person reside or where they were convicted of a felony to restore their full rights of citizenship.

Project Plan

Preparation Phase

  • Introduction call to Restore Your Vote program and CLC
  • Client referral assignment from CLC

Collaboration Phase

  • Training and gaining understanding of rights restoration process
  • Introduction to referred client to gather info for petition
  • Researching and validating eligibility
  • Drafting language for petition after getting to know client
  • Filing Petition with court
  • Attending Hearing

Wrap Up

  • Follow Up with Client and explain outcome of hearing
  • Update with CLC and closing out the referral
Jordan, Jonathan, and 4 others support this project.

Additional Information

  • Time Commitment: 11-20 hours
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Additional Training Details: There are trainings, informational packets, and example petitions available to guide attorneys throughout the process. Point of contact will be provided to assist with questions.
  • Site-Preference: Remote
  • Open to Law Students: No
  • Bar License(s) required: Arizona, Tennessee
  • Required Languages: None
  • Required Legal Expertise: None
  • Mentoring Provided: Yes
  • Supervision Provided: No
Campaign Legal Center

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is a nonpartisan organization that advocates for every eligible voter to meaningfully participate in the democratic process – no matter where they live, the color of their skin, or how much money they make. We use tactics such as litigation, policy advocacy and communications to make systemic impact at all levels of government. We are guided by the following principles: Our commitment will always be to democracy, not to political parties or electoral results. We respect the American people and their freedom to vote. We are fighting for every American to participate in and affect the political process regardless of race, economic status, or political affiliation. We advocate for every eligible voter, while recognizing that Black Americans and communities of color, in particular, have historically been and continue to be excluded from participating in the democratic process. We practice excellence and prioritize accuracy. We are thoughtful and proceed with care. We are committed to acting with respect and empathy both in our work and within our organization. We strive to be good partners and collaborators while staying true to our nonpartisan principles. We think about systemic impact when choosing what work to take. We work at any level of government when it introduces an innovative idea, could drive significant change at scale or sets an important precedent.

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