This election year, more than a quarter of a million people previously prevented from casting a ballot will be able to join their neighbors at the polls thanks to the work of state legislatures and officials. Voting rights restoration for ex-felons has become one of the hot topics for the 2016 election cycle driven largely by the actions of elected officials in Maryland and Virginia. Currently 38 states and the District of Columbia allow ex-felons to regain their voting rights upon the completion of their incarceration. In other states ex-felons may have their rights restored following the completion of all the terms of their service. In eight states they must apply for the restoration of their rights and in two states — Maine and Vermont — felons are permitted to vote while incarcerated.
… Just this week, the Delaware Senate approved legislation that will allow felons who have been released from incarceration, but may still have to complete some form of financial restitution in connection with their sentence.
Those still serving probation and with disqualifying felonies—murder, sexual crimes and public trust crimes—will still not be permitted to vote.
According to Elaine Manlove, state election commissioner, the change in law, if signed with the governor, will have no impact on the processing registrations for her office.
Full Article: electionlineWeekly.