In Pennsylvania, people with criminal records are eligible to register and vote if:

  • They are incarcerated and convicted of a misdemeanor*

  • They were convicted of a felony but not in prison at the time of an election

  • They are under house arrest*

  • They are on probation or released on parole

  • They are confined in a penal institution awaiting trial on charges *

  • They are in a halfway house not on pre-release status

*Must apply for an absentee ballot. Find your county board of elections here.

They are ineligible if:

  • They are currently confined in a penal institution and convicted of a felony

  • They are convicted of a felony and living in a halfway house on pre-release status

  • They are convicted of violating the Pennsylvania Election Code in the last four years

How to register:

An inmate’s residence is determined by where they were last registered to vote before incarceration. Inmates who have not yet registered to vote must use their last known address to register. A penal institution, including halfway houses, cannot be used as a place of residence.

The last day to register before the April 26 primary election is March 28. The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is April 19.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, ACLU of Pennsylvania