WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wichita resource fair on Saturday put the spotlight on restoring voting rights for Kansans who have completed felony sentences but remain unsure of their eligibility.
Organizers said many residents who have served their time — including probation and parole — don’t realize they can register to vote again. In Kansas, voting rights are automatically restored once a person finishes their full sentence.
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Yet statewide, more than 71,000 Kansans are unregistered, many because they mistakenly believe they cannot vote. In Sedgwick County alone, officials estimate about 17,000 people who are eligible still haven’t reclaimed their right to cast a ballot.
“Once you’ve served your time, your right to vote can be restored. It’s so important that people know that,” said Faith Martin, vice chair of the Wichita Racial Profiling Advisory Board, which hosted the event at the WSU Metroplex…