Tennessee Eases Voting Rights Restoration Rules for Felons

New law removes child support and court cost barriers to restoring voting rights after a felony conviction.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:18pm

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A conceptual abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and waves of blue, grey, and red paint, representing the motion and energy of the political process around voting rights restoration.The new Tennessee law eases financial barriers to voting rights restoration, opening up the political process for more formerly incarcerated individuals.Today in Nashville

Tennessee has passed a new law that eases two longstanding financial hurdles for people with felony sentences who want to have their voting rights restored. The law now allows people to prove they have complied with child support orders for the last year, rather than requiring full payment. It also unties the payment of all court costs from the voting rights restoration process.

Why it matters

Advocates have long sought changes to Tennessee's strict voting rights restoration system, which was seen as creating unnecessary barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals. This new law marks a significant rollback of restrictions, making it easier for people with felony convictions to regain their right to vote.

The details

The Republican-controlled legislature approved the Democratic-sponsored change, which now lets people prove they have complied with child support orders, such as payment plans, for the last year. The legislation also separates the payment of all court costs from the voting rights restoration process. Previously, people had to pay off all court costs before their voting rights could be restored.

  • The new law took effect immediately upon Republican Gov. Bill Lee's signature last week.
  • In 2023, Tennessee had previously decided to require restored gun rights as a prerequisite for voting rights restoration, and shelved a paperwork process that didn't require going to court.

The players

Keeda Haynes

Senior attorney for the advocacy group Free Hearts, which is led by formerly incarcerated women.

Karen Camper

Democratic House Minority Leader and a sponsor of the bill.

Randy McNally

Tennessee Senate Speaker, who voted against the bill.

Cameron Sexton

Tennessee House Speaker, who supported the bill.

Johnny Garrett

Republican state representative who voted against the bill.

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What they’re saying

“This is huge and this is history.”

— Keeda Haynes, Senior attorney, Free Hearts

“I think people are at a point where they want to just remove the barriers out of the way and allow people to be fully functional members of society.”

— Karen Camper, Democratic House Minority Leader

“They need to continue paying that, and as long as they do, then there's a possibility (to restore their voting rights). I really think that's harder for people to argue against than maybe what something else was.”

— Cameron Sexton, Tennessee House Speaker

What’s next

Advocates say this new law represents the biggest rollback of voting rights restoration restrictions in Tennessee in decades, but they may continue to push for further changes, such as automatic restoration of rights or eliminating the link between voting and other financial obligations.

The takeaway

Tennessee's new law easing voting rights restoration requirements for people with felony convictions is a significant step towards reducing barriers and allowing more formerly incarcerated individuals to fully participate in the democratic process. However, the state still has more work to do to ensure equitable access to the ballot box.