The American Civil Liberties Union has sent out letters to state probation and parole officers in response to reports that some officers are telling convicted felons that they can't vote.

Under state law, felons who have been released from prison or who will be freed by election time are eligible to vote.

Witold Walczak, the ACLU's legal director, said most of the complaints have come from the eastern part of the state.

The ACLU isn't taking any legal action, he said, nor does the organization think parole or probation officers are being deliberately misleading.

"Some just don't know the law," he said.

Mr. Walczak said many government Web sites, including those of Lawrence and Butler counties, also state that convicts have to wait five years before they can vote.

But that five-year waiting period was struck down by the state Supreme Court in 2000.

"There's a ton of misinformation out there," Mr. Walczak said.

The letters were sent to Catherine C. McVey, chairman of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the heads of all 67 county probation and parole boards.

The ACLU has asked that county boards respond to the letter by Tuesday.