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A voting rights victory in Maryland (column by Marc Morial)
Thousands of Marylanders will regain the right to cast their ballots this election year, thanks to the state’s lawmakers.
The Maryland House and Senate recently voted to override a veto by Governor Larry Hogan to ensure that ex-offenders will automatically get their right to vote back once they’ve been released from prison.
Previously, Maryland required all individuals with past felony convictions to complete all terms of their probation and parole before their access to the polls could be restored through a lengthy and confusing process. That policy — which disproportionately impacted communities of color — was unduly punitive.
It delayed the restoration of voting rights for men and women who’d already paid their debt to society by completing their prison sentences. This kind of voter disenfranchisement must not be tolerated in a nation that professes to be governed by democratic tenets.
MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/a-voting-rights-victory-in-maryland/
The Maryland House and Senate recently voted to override a veto by Governor Larry Hogan to ensure that ex-offenders will automatically get their right to vote back once they’ve been released from prison.
Previously, Maryland required all individuals with past felony convictions to complete all terms of their probation and parole before their access to the polls could be restored through a lengthy and confusing process. That policy — which disproportionately impacted communities of color — was unduly punitive.
It delayed the restoration of voting rights for men and women who’d already paid their debt to society by completing their prison sentences. This kind of voter disenfranchisement must not be tolerated in a nation that professes to be governed by democratic tenets.
MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/a-voting-rights-victory-in-maryland/
