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babylonsister

(171,096 posts) Tue Jun 16, 2020, 09:36 AM Jun 2020

Florida Judge Refuses To Put Felons' Voting Decision On Hold

Florida Judge Refuses To Put Felons’ Voting Decision On Hold
June 15, 2020 at 2:06 pm

TALLAHASSEE – A federal judge on Sunday refused to put on hold his decision allowing hundreds of thousands of Florida felons who have completed prison or jail sentences to register and vote in this year’s elections.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle turned down a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ lawyers for a stay, as they challenge his felons-voting decision at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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The federal judge also decided that court costs and fees, which are used to fund government services, are “taxes,” and the requirement to pay them to vote is an unconstitutional “poll tax.” Finding that most Florida felons who’ve served their time can’t pay outstanding court debts, Hinkle laid out a process for the state to use to allow felons to register to vote.

On June 2, the DeSantis administration made the unusual move of asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for what is known as an “en banc,” or full court, hearing in the appeal. Three-judge panels typically handle appeals before the possibility of a full-court hearing.

The state late last month also asked Hinkle to put his decision on hold while the Atlanta-based appellate court considers the case. But the federal judge refused to budge Sunday, saying his ruling “will cause the state no harm, let alone any irreparable harm.”

“No matter how many times the state asserts the contrary, a statute that punishes some individuals more harshly based only on wealth, or that irrationally conditions eligibility to vote on wealth, is unconstitutional,” wrote Hinkle, who has repeatedly branded the state law as a “pay-to-vote” system.

more...

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/06/15/florida-judge-refuses-to-put-felons-voting-decision-on-hold/