DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) -- A 68-year-old man in Dublin will vote for the first time in November.
According to the gbi ... wilcox got out of the car with a gun and shot himself.
And he died at the scene.
New tonight, a 68-year-old man in dublin plans to vote for the first time in november.
Elijah bell served in the united states marines.
And now he calls the dublin v-a home.
He says he spent 12 months on probation-nearly 30 years ago... which made him ineligible to vote.
41nbc's jatrissa wooten shares what it takes ... to get voting rights restored... after they're lost.
"when i was young i had got a little trouble" and that's why he never registered to vote in the first place.
68-year-old veteran elijah bell says growing up--he didn't care about politics.
He says back in the late 80's he was on probation for a year for drug-related charges.
Because it was his first offense, he was put on probation, instead of going prison.
According to georgia reform, an advocacy group for criminal justice reform---under georgia's law if someone is on probation, parole, or in prison they can't vote.
Sot: maxwell ruppersburg: executive director of georgia reform "it is only after those sentences are complete and any penalty fines legal fines have been paid that they regain their eligibility to vote" ruppersburg says convicted felons do not have to pay to register or to vote, but they must re-register to vote.
He says people who have been convicted and completed their sentence, and still owe court fees may be eligible to vote, once their probation or parole ends, and they receive a certificate of sentence completion.
"they need to register with the secretary of state online like anybody else" when asked, can a convicted felon lose their right to vote permanently for a conviction in their past?
Ruppersburg says no.
Bell says he is glad to hear it because after nearly 33 years--he found out he is eligible to vote 2 weeks ago.
He says now he's ready to use his voice.
"police brutality for one thing and i would like to see more healthcare for senior citizens and black and brown race."
Bell says he's looking forward to participating the voting and election process over the next two months and shared this message he wanted everyone to hear..
C1 3 b13 "just vote.
Whoever you want to vote for just get out and vote."
In dublin.
Ruppersburg says in 20-18, georgia had more than 264-thousand people who were ineligible to vote ... because of an active felony sentence.
We want to remind you, the registration deadline to vote in georgia in november is october 5th.
You can get register by mail by visiting your local election supervisors office.
Or you can go online to vote -dot- s-o-s -dot- g-a -dot- gov.
Early voting begins across the state on october 12th.
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is october 30th.
All mail-in
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