Dawn Hunter

Across the U.S., an estimated 6.1 million Americans are denied the right to vote due to disenfranchisement laws. As the 2020 General Election approaches, one of the issues getting attention is the restoration of voting rights to people convicted of felonies. Research shows that restoration of civil rights helps support a transition back into the community and that civic participation is linked to lower recidivism rates among those previously incarcerated. While some states are following a recent trend to restore voting rights, others are continuing efforts to disenfranchise voters.   

Conducting a regular assessment of laws and policies is a strategy for addressing health equity, especially when that assessment includes and is informed by community perspectives. The Network’s latest tool – Equity Assessment Framework for Public Health Laws and Policies – is designed to assist policymakers and practitioners in assessing new and existing laws and policies through an equity perspective. This framework can be applied to statutes, regulations, ordinances, resolutions, declarations, organizational policies, and policy guidance that either directly impact public health or impact the operations of agencies or organizations responsible for health outcomes.

Speakers in this webinar discussed challenges and solutions to the voting process in the midst of a pandemic, including legal barriers to turnout, election protection, and mitigating the public health risks. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

Overview As the country reels from the death toll and economic fall-out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans must focus on addressing a more persistent and…

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many states cautiously reopening, a new normal is taking shape. That new normal includes changes to the 2020 election cycle, with states shifting primary dates, encouraging absentee voting or vote-by-mail, and developing plans for safe in-person voting in November.