TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Oct 6, 2020

A Nashville non-profit led by formerly incarcerated women has established a fund to help restore voting rights to some Tennesseans with felony convictions, WPLN reports. The Free Hearts Fines and Fees Fund was launched this month to help those individuals pay off debts that would otherwise block them from the ballot box. Tennessee is one of only a few states that requires residents with felony convictions to pay off all court fines and fees before they can vote. Director of outreach for Free Hearts Jawharrah Bahar served as a case study for the organization to learn firsthand how daunting and overwhelming the voter restoration process can be. Bahar had to sit out several elections before pushing forward. Her court debt is now resolved and she says she’s looking forward to voting this fall. “I’m excited that I finally feel like I’m part of this community, that I’ll be able to vote locally and in the presidential election,” Bahar said. “I just feel like it’s very important for everyone to fight for what we’re doing and let your voices be heard.”