Alabama woman who gets voting rights restored is emotional after casting ballot for first time

Nuris Bigelow, 33, earned back her right to vote thanks to Definition of Moral Turpitude Act

Dec 13, 2017

During yesterday’s special election for the Alabama Senate seat, thousands of people were able to vote for the first time after having been previously disenfranchised.

Back in May, Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Definition of Moral Turpitude Act, which allowed former felons that had previously been disenfranchised under Alabama law to be able to get their right to vote back.

One of those voters, Nuris Bigelow, 33, is the subject of a viral video in which she got emotional about casting her vote.

“My eyes just burning. Ain’t nobody crying,” she said after voting for the very first time.

This woman just voted for the first time. “My eyes just burning. Ain’t nobody crying.” #ALSen pic.twitter.com/VXxBNxjB7T

— Kira Lerner (@kira_lerner) December 12, 2017

Bigelow was able to register to vote through the efforts of Pastor Kenneth Glasgow, Al Sharpton’s half-brother, who has helped thousands of people to register to vote and exercise their rights.

Chazarius Harden and Kameron McGlown, two former felons, had also registered to vote with Glasgow’s help, but they didn’t have their driver’s licenses as a form of ID. McGlown had lost his in a house fire, and Harden said that a police officer had taken his when he was caught walking on the wrong side of the street.

So, Glasgow suggested that they use their mug shots.

At first, the two men were told that their mug shots did not count and that they would have to use provisional ballots. However, eventually, Glasgow was able to work with the Secretary of State and country clerk to make sure that the two men were able to vote.

“We just changed the game!” Glasgow said.