PROVIDENCE — A civil rights activist who worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. exhorted community leaders yesterday to urge high voter turnout next month for Ballot Question 2, which would restore voting rights to convicted felons.

“If Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he would be right here standing with me, saying to you what I am saying, and that is that there’s nothing more important than to involve all of our people in the arena of public policy. They call it politics,” the Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy said, according to an audio recording of his speech provided by one of the participants in a rally yesterday in support of restoring voting rights.

Besides having worked with King, Fauntroy represented the District of Columbia in the House of Representatives and was a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Rhode Island Constitution bars felons from voting until they have completed their entire sentence, including probation. Question 2 would amend the Constitution to allow felons to vote when they are released from prison, even if their entire sentence has not expired.

In a speech that frequently sounded like a sermon, Fauntroy said action in favor of Question 2 is more important than words.

“Martin used to say, ‘Mr. Say ain’t nothing. Mr. Do’s the man,’ ” said Fauntroy. “Mr. Say ain’t nothing until Nov. 7. Then I want you all to do it in the name of Martin, in the name of all that’s just and fair and right.”

Fauntroy said Rhode Island should provide an example to other states by getting out the vote to restore the voting rights of felons.

“If Martin Luther King Jr. were here and living and alive, I know what he would do on Nov. 7. He would vote for this referendum. But he’s not alive and he’s not here,” said Fauntroy. “Give him an instructive example of how there are still people who want to keep the American dream alive and who are dead serious about their spiritual tenets.”