The Trump 2026 Voting Rights Act

Sep 23

Here at Easy Time Consulting none of us can vote in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. That’s because we’re a federal prison consulting firm that is based in the great red state of Wyoming, and whose managing partners are Americans with federal convictions. It is what it is.

If we could vote, it would be for the Republicans Harriet Hageman and Chuck Gray to represent the people of Wyoming in Congress.

When you are an American who’s had their voting rights taken away it’s easier just to be apolitical.

Mallory E. Fernandes, of the Ave Maria School of Law captures the reality of felony disenfranchisement quite beautifully in her July 30, 2025 blog titled ‘Democracy Denied: The Unconstitutional and Unethical Reality of Felon Disenfranchisement’ written for the Gavel. 1

Our partner Valerie Lowe is straight up MAGA. She loves President Trump. It really pisses her off that she can’t vote.

We got to talking about how ridiculous it is that President Trump is having to campaign for the 2026 midterms. People are actually saying that the democrats could win? 2

And this is after the President told us to pretend Donald J. Trump is on the ballot. 3

Where are all the Americans that turned out for the presidential elections and made Donald J. Trump President of the United States of America? 4

I’ve become an optimist in my old age. Maybe everybody’s busy working and they’re just waiting for November 3rd to perform their patriotic duty?

Val says she’s a pragmatic optimist. That good doesn’t just happen.

For example, there’s two bills before Congress right now that would restore the voting rights of Americans with criminal convictions. Both of them are democrat bills.

The ‘Democracy Restoration Act’, which would automatically restore voting rights in federal elections to American citizens who have been released from prison or are on probation/parole. 5

And the ‘Inclusive Democracy Act’, which completely ends felony disenfranchisement in federal elections. Meaning even Americans inside a prison could vote. 6

The bills have gone nowhere because aside from Senator Rand Paul, the Republicans do not support the legislation. 7

Senator Rand Paul actually drafted his own bill that would restore the rights of non-violent offenders. 8

Here at Easy Time Consulting we view having your civil liberties stripped away on top of a criminal conviction as double jeopardy. Only treason should result in a double whammy like that.

We believe that a criminal conviction, and your civil liberties as an American are two separate realities. One is prison. The other is an inherent right.

Returning to the Republicans in Congress; Why don’t they support the bills?

The unspoken reason is because they think we’re all a bunch of Democrats! And they think the ones of us that will actually register will turn right around and vote for the Democrats. 9

It is a fact of reality that black and hispanic Americans lose their civil liberties at a rate higher than white Americans. 10

Historically, black and hispanic Americans skew democratic but that is a generalization. Black and hispanic Americans demonstrate wildly different levels of partisan loyalty, ideological diversity, and generational shifts. 11

Niki isn’t old, but me and Val are. We can remember when this was true. But let me tell you. It ain’t true no more! Not since President Trump has been in the White House.

A 2024 election survey by the Marshall Project showed that Republican support among incarcerated Americans was roughly 50%. It also showed that 61% of incarcerated white Americans support President Trump. 12

This fact holds true in practical experience. Almost every American that Val, Niki, and myself have met in over 30 years of combined incarceration are President Trump supporters and Republican backers.

President Donald J. Trump signed the First Step Act into law in 2018. The landmark legislation became Public Law 115–391, marking the first major federal prison and sentencing reform package enacted in decades. 13

The First Step Act of 2018 stands as one of the most successful examples of large-scale bipartisan cooperation in modern congressional history. The legislation passed with overwhelming, veto-proof majorities in both chambers because it united traditional political adversaries—including progressive Democrats, fiscal conservatives, and libertarian-leaning Republicans—around a shared goal of prison reform. 14, 15

Our belief is that the Act had such large-scale bipartisan support because it accomplished common sense federal prison reform. Thank you President Trump!

The first step act reduces recidivism, addresses mandatory minimum sentences, and improves the conditions inside federal prisons. 16 It also focuses on rehabilitation and encourages incarcerated Americans to participate in evidence-based programs. 17

Federally incarcerated Americans who participate in evidence-based recidivism reduction programs (like vocational training, mental health classes, or productive prison work assignments) earn credits. Eligible Americans earn 10 to 15 days of credit for every 30 days of programming they successfully complete. It is possible to earn up to 365 days of accumulated credits that can be applied directly to a federal sentence. Any additional credits earned beyond that one-year cap can be used to transfer out of prison early into home confinement or a residential halfway house. 18

The First Step Act also made the Fair Sentencing Act retroactive, lowered Mandatory Minimum penalties, expanded the Safety Valve, lowered the "Three Strikes" penalty, lowered the Second-Offense Penalty, fixed 924(c) aka ‘Stacking Gun Penalties’, and banned the use of restraints on pregnant women.19

The First Step act also gave some teeth to the 500 driving mile ideal. According to the statutory text of the act, codified at18 U.S.C. § 3621(b), the BOP is directed to house incarcerated Americans in a facility located "as close to the individual’s primary residence as practicable, and to the extent practicable, in a facility within 500 driving miles."

Because the 500 mile ideal is not 100% mandatory, it has caused a lot of problems for incarcerated Americans and their families. TheOffice of the Inspector General (OIG) found that there are thousands of federally incarcerated Americans being housed in a federal prison that is further than the 500-mile ideal. This is due to severe overcrowding and staffing shortages across the BOP. Not the First Step Act.

The First Step Act is the largest positive change to happen to the BOP in almost 100 years, since its founding by Congress in 1930. 20

We’ll never forget what you did for us President Trump! Thank you sir!

It’s all the Americans like Val & Niki & myself over at Easy Time Consulting that would get out there and vote Republican if we were given the opportunity.

Even if the Republicans in Congress wised up and had a change of heart it’s too late for the bills to pass before the midterm elections. The House is on break till November 9th, 2026. 21

President Trump has the power to restore our federal rights. 22

President Trump can issue a blanket pardon that restores our voting rights, but leaves our criminal convictions in place. A presidential pardon does not erase, expunge, or overturn the underlying criminal conviction. 23

Neither Congress nor the courts can overturn, block, or review a president's decision to grant a pardon. The Supreme Court can’t block this like they did the President’s mail-in ballot restrictions. 24

The 2026 midterm elections are only 41 days away.

Even with a presidential pardon for a federal offense, if a person resides in a state where convicted Americans are denied the right to vote, the pardon itself does not automatically restore that right. The restoration of voting rights depends entirely on the laws of the state where the individual lives, and each state has its own specific rules and processes. 25

Would a blanket pardon from President Donald J. Trump win the 2026 midterms for the Republicans?

I’m gonna say that it’s not looking good. Valerie says Trump 2026 & 2029! Niki says that crazier things have happened.

Where we all agree is that restoring the rights of so many good Americans could only be a great thing for this country.

The 2026 Trump Voting Rights Act, made reality by Executive Order and Presidential Pardon!

Mike Collins

Easy Time Consulting

Federal Prison Consulting Firm

https://doingeasytime.org

The Trump 2026 Voting Rights Act

Contact:

EASY TIME CONSULTING

1 (312) 487-1381

MIKE COLLINS

VALERIE LOWE

NIKI BULLOCK