It is time to Free The People, Free The Vote!

As Tennesseans, we share strong core values of faith, family, community, public health, safety, fiscal responsibility, freedom, and democracy.

But, in Tennessee, the incarceration rate is 10% above the U.S. average & our communities are no safer! The citizens of this state spend over $1 Billion annually on corrections, yet still have the 4th highest violent crime rate in the nation. In contrast, 34 other states have reduced both incarceration and crime rates within the last decade while these rates continue to rise in Tennessee.

In addition, Tennessee suppresses the right to vote of over 450k people and continues to disenfranchise communities, considering the Volunteer State’s voter restoration laws are the most complicated among all fifty states. In fact, we are one of the few states that connect restoration with payment of fees, and require child support to be current in order to get voting rights restored.

As we begin to look towards a future that aligns with our values and builds community strength, we respectfully request that you formally acknowledge the need to bring about common sense change by way of signing this petition and joining us in this fight to Free The People & Free The Vote.