I thought it would be important to pass the information about voting rights for those of us who have had a felony conviction.  For myself there were many times while I was in that I wished it were possible for me to vote because of the laws that were being passed that effected me and I felt I had no voice in the matter. 

When I was released I felt I had payed the price required for my mistakes in life and for that reason I should have my rights as a citizen of the United States returned to me, of course there were certain of them I knew I had forfeited forever like the right to own a gun even for hunting, but to not have the right to vote did not make since to me. I work and pay taxes, yet I'm not allowed to vote for those who govern me and make the decisions about this country and town I live in?

Thankfully there were people  working to correct this long before I ever got out of prison and now it is possible for us to vote once we are off parole. Below I'm giving you a link to an article a friend of mine showed me that covers a lot of information on this subject. The thing I want us to remember is that if we don't exercise our right to vote we give away our right to be governed by our choice.

It is a relief to know that Stepping Stones to Success is here to help me through all of these hurdles.  
Till next time
Respectfully 
X-Offender


https://felonyfriendlyjobs.org/can-a-felon-vote/

It may sound simple to some, but adjusting to life after Prison is just a bit more complicated for those getting out. The amount of time you spent inside effects just how well the reintegration prosses goes, but it changes in as little as 6 months. For those on the outside it's been life as usual and the changes went for the most part un-noticed. But for our loved ones its a whole new world. For the past month's or year's there lives have been ran by system that told them when to get up, when to eat, and when to go to sleep. It was filled the same routine of a pre-planed day and night and now they have to get use to planning that day and night on there own. Besides the difficulties of getting a drivers license, Social Security Card, Birth Certificate, and finding a job, they have to do this on there own with no direction. Some are lucky enough to have family to help but most are sent to halfway houses, or residential programs that are far away from family just the way prisons are. It's easy for us to get around, we just "google it" but if you have never even used a cell phone Google is a strange animal you've never seen. Then there is the social aspect, just talking to family becomes an issue after the "I love yous" have all been said, where dose the conversation go because for the last how many ever years I've only talked with other prisoners and those conversations are not understood very well beyond the inside of prison walls. Yes they will learn to make this adjustment and in time they will Google with the best of us. I'm just pointing out a few things you might want to be aware of with your newly released family member. Have an extra dose of patients and understanding in dealing with him or her, there kind of like a new born and will need to be hand held for a short while you'll just have to re-train them on how to be a human again after coming from such an inhuman place. They Grow up quick and before you know it they will be the Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Wife, Husband, you remember. As a last word just feed and water them daily with your love and watch them grow :)
                                                                                           till next time
​                                                                                            X-offender