U.S. states giving more ex-felons voting rights back

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

U.S. states giving more ex-felons voting rights back
Reuters
By Ian Simpson
56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baltimore community organizer Perry Hopkins, 55, is looking forward to stepping into a voting booth for the first time in his life this election season.

Hopkins lost his never-exercised right to vote when he was convicted for drug and other offenses. He gained it back last month when Maryland joined a growing list of U.S. states making it easier for ex-convicts to vote.

"To have the right to vote now is empowering. I'm stoked," said Hopkins, who spent a total of 19 years in prison for non-violent crimes, and was one of 40,000 in the state to regain his right to vote from a legislative action.

"I plan to vote in every election possible. I'm voting for mayor, I'm voting for city councilman in my district, and, yes, I'm voting for president," said Hopkins. He hopes to vote for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Nov. 8.








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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/u-states-giving-more-ex-felons-voting-rights-152553614.html

[nc4bo]

1. Fuckers. What took so long! Pay your debt to society should equal automatic right to vote.

There's so much in this country that makes me sick.

[fun n serious]

2. In this I agree.

Once debt is paid all rights should be restored including gun laws as long it was not a violent crime. IMO

[Dont call me Shirley]

3. Even people serving time should be able to vote. We need a constitutional anmendment

guaranteeing the right to vote for all American citizens. Way past due.

[Igel]

4. Why limit it?

I mean, if somebody who values society so much as to ignore the laws and even rape and kill should vote, how about fine, upstanding people who's only "crime" is failing to uphold stupid laws that prevent them from freely moving here?

Relatives of immigrants, legal and undocumented, also have a stake in their well-being in America, and should have a say. Imagine, having all those in the ME able to help decide ME policy! Things would change, and I can't imagine they could possibly change for the worse.

Pretty much every state had a procedure, fairly simple, for restoring voting rights. Fill out a form, get some references that you are a contributing member of society, and it was usually a right restored by some perfunctory process by a low-level appointee or elected official. But that was too hard for something that was so highly valued and sought after.

You'd think if it was so highly sought after it would be, well, sought after.

[Dont call me Shirley]

5. Or like in Australia, the have mandatory voting.