Convicted Lawmaker Wants Felons to Vote

[cal04]

A bill that would automatically return voting rights to felons after they complete their sentences has been introduced by a Florida legislator who is still in office even though he is a convicted felon.

The bill introduced Thursday by state Sen. Gary Siplin would change the state's long-standing constitutional ban on felon voting. Now, a felon's rights can only be restored by the state's clemency board, which must hear each case in a process that can take months or years.

Florida is one of just three states — all in the South — that don't automatically restore voting rights after completion of a sentence, said Senate Minority Leader Steven Geller.

Siplin, a two-term Democrat from Orlando, was convicted in August on felony grand theft charges for having employees work on his 2004 re-election campaign on state time. He was sentenced last month to three years' probation and 300 hours of community service, but that has been postponed pending his appeal.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061226/ap_on_re_us/felons_voting_3

[Maat]

1. I believe that felons should have the right to vote ..

particularly if they are no longer incarcerated or were sentenced to alternate punishment (instead of incarceration).

I have a relative who was convicted of a drug offense before they established California's current diversion program, and he is very well informed. No one deserves the right to vote more than he does!

[northshore]

2. Seems only fair.

Seeing as the population of a prison is counted in the census, and figures into the number of Congressional seats (and electoral votes), why shouldn't they be allowed to vote???

[pinto]

3. I support reinstating the right to vote for ex-cons.

If we truly feel "they've paid their debt" we ought to stand behind a basic right/responsibility of citizenship.

[tbyg52]

4. Kind of ironic about the felon introducing it

But people who have served their sentences should certainly be able to vote, and the restoration should be automatic.

[mrcheerful]

5. Not to forget that the founding fathers believed that a criminals full rights be restored

after the person had served his time. Remember under english law convicts lost all rights. That allowed england to export its convict population to america and other colonies.