RESOLUTION NO. 210775

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Honoring MORE² for its efforts to engage and register eligible voters with misdemeanor or felony convictions throughout the Greater Kansas City area.

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                     WHEREAS, voting is fundamental to a democracy and is a cornerstone of civic participation in the United States of America; and

                     WHEREAS, throughout history, marginalized classes of people have struggled to obtain the right to vote as shown in five amendments to the United States Constitution concerning voter disenfranchisement and the right of citizens to vote; and

                     WHEREAS, individuals with felony convictions continue to be one of the few groups that is subject to legal discrimination in housing, employment and voting eligibility; and

                     WHEREAS, restoring the right to vote to people with a felony conviction enables them to exercise their civic duty and helps reestablish ties to the community that encourage law-abiding behavior; and

                     WHEREAS, voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals eligible to vote under applicable state law are fundamental to our democracy and to our City; and

                     WHEREAS, MORE² has organized people with felony convictions, into a group called “Our Voices” and launched a campaign called “Our Voice, Our Vote,” that will engage eligible voters throughout Missouri and Kansas; and

                     WHEREAS, the Office of the Mayor is working with county and state agencies and community partners like MORE² to raise awareness and understanding of current city, county, state and federal election laws that allow people who have completed their felony conviction to vote; and                      

                     WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council encourage those with felony or misdemeanor convictions who are no longer incarcerated, have completed their term of probation and/or parole, and are eligible under applicable state law to exercise their lawful civil right and civic duty to register and vote in future elections; NOW, THEREFORE,

                     BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and City Council hereby honor MORE² for its efforts to engage and register eligible voters with misdemeanor or felony convictions throughout the Greater Kansas City area; and   

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to MORE² with the thanks of the Mayor and Council for its service.

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