By: Kenjuan Congo Jr., ACLU-DE Smart Justice Ambassador and Every Vote Counts Campaign Volunteer
As General Election Day approaches, it’s more important than ever for Delawareans to understand what’s at stake this election season. Whether your passion is education, healthcare, justice reform, or any other matter affecting your community, the issues you care about are on the ballot.
On Tuesday, November 5, I’m voting to reform our state’s broken probation system.
Our problem is clear — Delaware’s current approach to probation creates a revolving door between probation and prison, driving incarceration in our state. Delaware’s probation system imposes the same 13 conditions on all individuals, without considering whether those conditions are necessary, or if the person has the resources to meet them. This makes it needlessly difficult for many to successfully complete probation, without any real benefit to community safety. People on probation also face incarceration for minor technical violations, like arriving late to an appointment.
This election season, I am voting to elect lawmakers who are ready to significantly reform Delaware’s probation system. Our country’s polarized political climate breeds fear and division that often overshadows thoughtful, solution-driven conversations. , That’s why supporting candidates who prioritize rational and compassionate policies on issues like probation reform can help our society work toward a more just and equitable future.
As someone living with a felony record*, I was initially hesitant to vote due to fear of being arrested, especially after witnessing many elected officials’ aggressive stances calling to punish individuals with records who exercised their constitutional right to vote. However, after engaging in conversations with civil liberties organizations like ACLU-DE and state legislators who champion voting rights, I found support and a renewed commitment to my civic duty.
Through my role as an ACLU-DE Smart Justice Ambassador and Every Vote Counts campaign volunteer, I've dedicated myself to empowering returning Delawareans and other marginalized communities, ensuring that they can head to the polls confidently and safely. I understand that voting is not just about selecting candidates, and it’s not where advocacy and civic engagement end. Casting my ballot is about shaping the policies that impact the real lives of people like me, who have been impacted by the criminal legal system, and holding elected officials accountable for their promises to our communities.
Our ballots represent an opportunity to demand ethical leadership and to promote a moral approach to issues like probation reform. As voters, we can make the choice to support candidates who prioritize justice and equality. By participating in the democratic process, we are taking a stand against the status quo and advocating for a society that represents our values and needs of our communities.
I am voting for a future that prioritizes compassion, fairness, and true reform.
Learn more about where the candidates running in your district stand on issues like probation reform at VoteDelaware.org.
Smart Justice Ambassadors Program
*A person with a previous conviction on their record who has served their time, including some people with felonies, may be eligible to vote in Delaware.
Note: There are some felony convictions that disqualify a person from being able to vote, even after they have served their time. For more information, read the list of ineligible convictions on the Department of Elections website and see this flowchart created by the U.S. Department of Justice.
