Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) said Thursday she's "not there yet" on allowing prisoners to vote, suggesting she could be open to it in the future.
During a town hall in New Hampshire, Warren took an online question about whether she agreed with the controversial stance of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), who said this year even "terrible people" such as the Boston Marathon bomber and other convicted murderers and felons should be allowed to vote from prison.
"So, I am completely on board for people having the right to vote once they've left prison, once they've served their debt, but while they're still in prison, there's a lot of your rights that are suspended when you're in prison, and I'm just not there on that one," Warren said. "Not there yet."
The Warren campaign didn't return a request for comment.
Warren was less clear on the subject in March, saying she supported returning the franchise to felons after they had left prison but saying she was open to a "conversation" on the imprisoned being allowed to vote.
"While they're incarcerated, I think that's something we can have more conversation about," she said.
A poll in April found 75 percent of respondents said they didn't support Sanders's desire to let every inmate vote. Just 15 percent said every inmate, regardless of the severity of their crimes, should be allowed to vote behind bars.
Warren and Sanders are two of the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. The two staunch progressives will be on the same debate stage for the first time on July 30, as they compete for the most liberal voters of the party.