under current governor, 4 Florida felons had voting rights restored
Florida voters passed Amendment 4 in 2018 with the intention of restoring voting rights to most felons who served their time. But how it will work remains uncertain due to litigation, and a waiting list for felons who want to restore their rights the traditional route continues to swell.
State Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said officials dont have to wait on the legal battle to make the process easier for felons. The four-person state Cabinet could make the changes through the clemency board, she said, referring to the body that already has the power to grant restoration of civil rights.
Fried, the only Democrat on the Cabinet, asked her Republican colleagues on the board to adopt new rules for clemency. But that hasnt happened, she said, and the result has been far fewer rights restored under Gov. Ron DeSantis administration than under previous governors Charlie Crist, Jeb Bush and Rick Scott.
"Under Governor Crist, over 155,000 Floridians had their rights restored," Fried said. "Under Governor Bush, over 76,000. Even under Governor Scott, more than 3,000 of our fellow citizens earned back their right to participate in society."
Fried then pivoted to lower numbers under the current Cabinet.
"But so far this year, under this clemency board, four have gotten their rights back," Fried told reporters at a pre-session gathering in Tallahassee. "That is not a typo. Four. Four people."
https://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2019/nov/18/nikki-fried/2019-few-florida-felons-got-their-voting-rights-ba/