He pays taxes, volunteers in his community, and is gainfully employed, but still his voice remains unheard.

Although today he could be on a politician’s reelection campaign poster, Gary Malachi Scott was once on the wrong side of the law. At 13, he joined a gang in South Los Angeles, and by 15 was convicted of murder, ultimately spending more than a decade in prison.

Scott is one of nearly six million American citizens who are not allowed to vote as the result of criminal convictions.

As with many things, the US is exceptional in its commitment to denying basic civic rights to those deemed unworthy of inclusion in society.  “At the end of the day, we pay taxes, and are in some ways considered citizens,” Scott reflected during a recent phone call. “But in the specific way of voting, we are not recognized.”

It’s not just prisoners. Many immigrant voices are also denied the right to be heard, particularly in local policy decisions that directly affect them, such as those involving school boards or city councils. While they may not have been born in this country, immigrants are deeply intertwined with American society.

By expanding access to basic democratic norms to some of society’s most marginalized, including immigrants and felons, a state or municipality can better meet the needs of all its residents, no matter their status. Such policy moves are not merely ideological—inclusion and acceptance are two important steps towards a safer and healthier space for all.

Fundamentally, questions of voting rights are emblematic of larger issues surrounding who should be included in our society and if it should matter that people are treated as if they belong.

Read the full article about voting rights for immigrants and incarcerated people by Sara Grossman at Othering & Belonging Institute.