The Last Suffrage Movement: Voting Rights for Persons with Cognitive and Emotional Disabilities

Although voting is recognized as afundamental right, constitutional and legislative reforms have been necessary to prevent states from excluding certain individuals from voting based on their race, previous servitude, class, and gender Most states, however, still excludefrom voting one group of citizensthose who have cognitive and emotional impairments. This article addresses the political and legal argumentsfor suffragefor these individuals. Itfurther argues that these provisions are unconstitutional, and proposes reforms consistent with constitutional requirements for protecting basic rights.