20,000 signatures reached
To: District Attorney Sharen Wilson
#Justice4Crystal
All charges—against Crystal Mason—to be dropped and that there are proper steps taken to ensure all incarcerated people and formerly incarcerated people on probation or parole are aware of their inability to vote while they are on supervision.
Why is this important?
Mass incarceration is being used as a way to enforce the "Three Fifths Compromise," since in the United States of America people of color are incarcerated at a disproportionate rate and are then prohibited from voting. An estimated 6.1 million Americans are disenfranchised by felony convictions.
Crystal Mason, is one of those people!
Crystal was never told that having a felony conviction and being on supervision meant that she couldn’t vote under Texas law—so on November 8, 2016 she attempted to vote. But her name wasn’t on the list of registered voters, so she filled out a provisional ballot, which was eventually flagged. Crystal was later informed that her vote didn’t count, but they didn’t give her more details. She didn't find out the reasons why until she went to her scheduled meeting with her probation officer—she was arrested for voter fraud.
On March 28th 2018, State District Judge Ruben Gonzalez—a conservative republican judge—sentenced Crystal—a black woman—to five years in prison for attempting to be a good citizen by exercising her voting rights, while a white woman in Iowa was sentenced to probation and a $750 dollar fine for attempting to vote twice for Donald Trump.
Let's demand that DA Wilson—who on her website claims that her staff approaches each case with a commitment to compassion, yet she has shown no compassion towards Crystal or her children—drop all charges against Crystal Mason!!
Crystal Mason, is one of those people!
Crystal was never told that having a felony conviction and being on supervision meant that she couldn’t vote under Texas law—so on November 8, 2016 she attempted to vote. But her name wasn’t on the list of registered voters, so she filled out a provisional ballot, which was eventually flagged. Crystal was later informed that her vote didn’t count, but they didn’t give her more details. She didn't find out the reasons why until she went to her scheduled meeting with her probation officer—she was arrested for voter fraud.
On March 28th 2018, State District Judge Ruben Gonzalez—a conservative republican judge—sentenced Crystal—a black woman—to five years in prison for attempting to be a good citizen by exercising her voting rights, while a white woman in Iowa was sentenced to probation and a $750 dollar fine for attempting to vote twice for Donald Trump.
Let's demand that DA Wilson—who on her website claims that her staff approaches each case with a commitment to compassion, yet she has shown no compassion towards Crystal or her children—drop all charges against Crystal Mason!!