Many of the men and women on the GOP's list of alleged felon voters have been casting ballots for years, believing their voting rights had been restored. They had voter-registration cards. They got ballots in the mail. One had even been a poll worker.

Some are one-time offenders, others repeat criminals. They live in halfway houses, middle-class neighborhoods, at home with their mothers. One postponed an interview while he went to Bible study. Another interrupted a conversation to give his baby a bottle.

Some are drug addicts, others are church leaders. They are retirees, house painters, small-business owners, engineers, grandmothers and college students.

About 75 percent of the felons in The Times study of 289 had committed nonviolent crimes. Their most common crimes, in order, were theft, drug offenses and assault.

About three-quarters voted in King County, the other quarter elsewhere in Washington. They are as old as 77 and as young as 21. Their average age is 43.

When confronted about their illegal votes, their reactions varied. The politically passionate were angry their registration was being canceled. Others had to be reminded who the gubernatorial candidates were.

But nearly all of them were confused by the fix they were in.

Felons lose their right to vote when they are convicted but can regain it after they have finished their sentences and paid their fines and restitution. Without a court document called a Certificate and Order of Discharge, which officially reinstates their voting rights, they are still banned from voting even if they've moved on with their lives.

Some said they had wondered about their right to vote but felt reassured when they received ballots in the mail or saw their names in poll books.

A mailed ballot put Wilhelm Schmidt's mind at ease last October. King County sent him an absentee ballot and counted his vote for Gov. Christine Gregoire. But now the county, clued in by the Republican Party about Schmidt's 16-year-old conviction for selling fake LSD, has revoked Schmidt's right to vote.

"You told me I could vote when I voted, and now you're saying ... I've got to go to court," he said, meaning a hearing before election officials. "I mean, this is really a slap in the face to me."

He's not the only one feeling frustrated.

Many of the felons on the GOP list were incredulous that old crimes had caught up with them.

Brian Barnes has voted regularly for 13 years — so regularly that election workers in Burien ask after his family each time he visits the polling station. An electrician and musician, Barnes said he implores other musicians, fans and his children to vote.

"I took my right to vote very, very seriously," he said.

But it turns out Barnes didn't have that right. He was convicted of second-degree robbery nearly 20 years ago.

He said that after making a youthful mistake, he has lived responsibly, raising a family and sending his son to college.

Barnes said the day after finding out he couldn't vote, he wanted to sign a petition — but realized he couldn't. Now he's working toward getting his rights restored.

"I'm 40 years old and it's embarrassing," he said.

David Tuttle, King County

Age: 31

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Convicted of: burglary, 1993

Note: Tuttle pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary in 1993. He hasn't been in any legal trouble since and has won permanent custody of his 12-year-old daughter. Tuttle says he's interested in politics and has voted in more than 20 elections over the years. He's particularly interested in issues surrounding his daughter's education.

Quote: "I think taking somebody's rights to vote is basically taking away someone's voice."

Wendy Watson, King County

Age: 44

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Convicted of: theft, 1995.

Note: Watson registered to vote at a White Center grocery where, she said, a man promised to help restore her voting rights "in no time" if she would sign up. When she got her registration card in the mail, she assumed he had taken care of it, she said. Watson, a recovering heroin addict, said she has been off drugs for about nine years and these days concentrates on raising her 8-year-old daughter.

Quote: "I really don't think it's anything to do with the fact that I am a felon or not a felon. It's just politics. I just got caught in the middle of it."

Barbara Savare, King County

Age: 65

Voted for: Dino Rossi

Convicted of: heroin possession, 1990

Note: Savare has been on a methadone program since 1993 and says she's clean. She first voted in 1994 at the polls and has voted by absentee ballot every election since, without any idea she was doing anything wrong, she said.

Quote: "I felt I had served my time and had done what was required. I was on probation for a year, but after that I thought it was over."

Michael Matthews, Pierce County

Age: 40

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Convicted of: forgery and cocaine possession, 1991; forgery, 1994

Note: Matthews, of University Place, has been to prison twice, but says he has given up drugs and is the head of street ministry at his Tacoma church, the True Vine Community Church of God in Christ. This was the first time he has voted since his most recent conviction 11 years ago — part of an effort to become more involved in civic life.

Quote: "I'm addicted to the Lord now and I've turned my life around."

Ricky Rangel, Yakima County

Age: 46

Convicted of: cocaine possession and assault, 1983 and 1995

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Note: Although Rangel was included on the Republicans' list of felon voters, he voted legally. Gov. Gary Locke pardoned him in 2003 as a way of honoring him for his rehabilitation and volunteer work.

Rangel, who got his GED in prison, is working toward his Ph.D. in social work. He works as a drug and alcohol counselor.

Quote: "I'm a minority [Hispanic], I was a juvenile delinquent, I was adopted by my grandparents, you know, I had a lot of excuses to sort of blame the world. ... I'm a productive member of society today."

Karen Wright, King County

Age: 51

Convicted of: welfare fraud, 1997

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Note: Wright said that she continued receiving welfare after she began working only to ensure her 16-year-old son could get decent shoes and other necessities. She continues to pay restitution. She thought she simply needed to wait seven years from the time of her conviction to have her rights automatically restored, she said. So in November she cast her first vote since her conviction.

Quote: "I don't feel like I did anything wrong. The people who are in charge of voting, they should have checked. 'Felon' will be on my record till the day I die. All I did was try to get ahead."

John Sanders, Thurston County

Age: 33

Convicted of: assault in violation of a no-contact order, 1996

Voted for: Sanders voted, but not in the governor's race.

Note: Sanders, of Olympia, said no one ever told him he had lost his right to vote. His parents were precinct workers, and he believes voting is important. He is interested in law and is two semesters short of graduating from a paralegal program at South Puget Sound Community College.

Quote: "Voting is the most inalienable right we have."

Robert Raymer, King County

Age: 48

Voted for: Christine Gregoire

Convicted of: marijuana possession, 2000

Note: Raymer, a truck driver, is eligible to have his voting rights restored after completing 24 months of supervision and repaying court costs. He said he believed he could vote in the 2004 election after hearing on a talk-radio show that felons were eligible after five years.

Quote: "When I got a felony, I didn't realize the harm it would do. It's not something I'm proud of. I talk as little as possible about it. ... I don't like a lot of the guys in politics now, and if we don't vote, the other guy's going to get their guy in. I basically wanted to vote Bush out."

Seattle Times staff reporters Nick Perry, Jonathan Martin and Mike Carter contributed to this report.