John Williams Organizes Voter Drive After Misunderstanding Rights

John Williams signed up for a political campaign ad, but later learned he had misunderstood his voting rights.

As KCCI reported, the Des Moines resident first appeared in a commercial backing Zach Nunn, telling viewers, I’m voting for Zach Nunn because he cuts taxes for working people. Soon after, he popped up in a different project—an Iowa Creator Corps video—declaring, I’m not voting because I literally can’t. The jarring contradiction immediately drew heavy criticism on social media, prompting Williams to re-examine his own status. That is when he discovered a stark reality that catches many citizens off guard.

Felon voting rights are not as permanently out of reach in Iowa as many believe. Through conversations with the Iowa Creator Corps and Drake University law professor Steve Foritano, Williams learned that his voting rights had actually been restored.

They’re automatically restored once they’re off probation, once they’re off parole, once they’re off any kind of supervision, Foritano said.

The confusion stems from a complex history of executive action and lingering public doubt. In 2020, Iowa Kim Reynolds signed Executive Order 7, restoring voting rights and the ability to hold public office to most people who have completed felony sentences, including probation, parole, and other forms of supervision. The order carves out exceptions primarily for homicide cases, but it effectively reenfranchised Iowans who previously assumed their political voice was permanently silenced.

Williams admits he knew his sentence was finished, but he fell victim to a common procedural misconception. He thought a complex application process or formal reinstatement hearing still stood between him and the ballot box.

I didn’t fully understand that I was just able to go vote. I thought there was a process that I might have still had to apply or possibly do some sort of reinstatement, Williams explained.

Rather than retreating from the public eye after the social media backlash, Williams decided to use his platform to clear up the confusion. He is director of Everyone Votes Iowa, turning his personal misunderstanding into an organizing tool. He is partnering with the Iowa Creator Corps to host a voter registration drive outside the Polk County Election Office.

Democratic candidate for u s senate jason kander greets voter john williams during a last

As easily as I didn’t know that I could vote, I’m pretty sure there’s hundreds if not thousands of other people that don’t know they can still vote, Williams said.

The upcoming voter registration event is scheduled to run from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday outside the Polk County Election Office. Williams, Foritano, and other community leaders are scheduled to speak at the event. Eligible Polk County residents who drop by will also have the opportunity to cast their ballots early on-site.

For anyone navigating similar questions about their eligibility, Foritano recommends checking the guidance provided directly by the Iowa Secretary of State’s website to confirm their status before heading to the polls.