For an estimated 4 million people with felony convictions, restoring their right to vote is complicated – and varies state by state

Desmond Meade, right, registers to vote in Florida on Jan. 8, 2019. after completing his sentence on a federal conviction. Phelan M. Ebenhack for The Washington Post via Getty Images by Naomi F. Sugie, University of California, Los Angeles People who are convicted of felonies might think they can’t vote. Even in California, where they do have the right to vote, people convicted of felonies cite cases in Florida and Texas where people with felonies who have completed their sentences have been arrested and sentenced to prison for trying to vote illegally. It’s almost an article of faith that a person loses their right to vote once they have been convicted. But that’s not universally true. Since 1997, 26 states and Washington have passed reforms that have expanded voting eligibility to over 2 million people with felony convictions. The reforms reflect the growing recognition by some politicians that felony disenfranchisement laws often excluded people from voting long after they served their sentences. Rooted in historical racism that restricted access to the ballot box, these laws are at odds with the idea that punishment should end after someone completes their sentence. But with these reforms comes a new challenge – ensuring...