Thursday is the deadline to register to vote and as that date approaches, Manhattan's County Clerk is spreading the word that former felons can cast ballots.

Milton Tingling says it's a misconception they can't vote in New York, because of fights over voting rights in other states. 

He says 10 states, including Florida, ban felons from voting. 

But, here in New York, the law was changed five years ago to allow felons to vote once they complete their sentences, or are discharged from parole.

"We're going anywhere and everywhere that they'll have us. We've been in the churches, we're at the bar association," Tingling said.

"Men and women that have been formerly incarcerated know that they do have the right to vote, you know and the procedures that they gotta take to sign up to vote, 'cause a lot of them as they say, they don't know know what their rights is when they come back out here," said Fortune Society Case Manager David Rodriguez.

"I didn't know I could. I thought that you know my felony conviction in New York barred me from ever being able to participate," said Kalvin Harmon, a registered voter.

NY1's Dean Meminger has been speaking with men who can't vote because of their criminal background. 

But they have hit the road to encourage other formerly incarcerated people who can cast a ballot to do so. 

You can see that story on tonight's News at 11.