WaPo: Fla. Republicans make it harder for ex-felons to vote

[varkam]

The Washington Post
March 9, 2011
Peter Wallsten
Link

Florida Gov. Rick Scott and other Cabinet-level officials voted unanimously Wednesday to roll back state rules enacted four years ago that made it easier for many ex-felons to regain the right to vote.

Now, under the new rules, even nonviolent offenders would have to wait five years after the conclusion of their sentences to apply for the chance to have their civil rights restored.

The vote carries national political implications. Many GOP leaders never forgave then-Gov. Charlie Crist for his move to make civil rights restoration almost automatic for most ex-felons.

The 2007 rule change spurred more than 100,000 ex-felons to earn the ability to register to vote ahead of the 2008 election in which then-candidate Barack Obama swept Florida. Experts say many of those new voters were likely Democratic-leaning African Americans.

...

I'd really love for someone to tell me what the justification for disenfranchisement is, other than pure voter suppression. I noticed in the article that they pay lip service to the idea of preventing voter fraud, but if you one has to wonder if even they believe their own swill or if they actually know they're full of it.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. I don't understand how such disenfranchisement

is constitutional in the first place. The only semi-legitimate reason to deny somebody the right to vote is if they're in prison(although in some countries, prisoners can vote- I believe) but once you get out, your civil rights- regardless of the severity of your crime- should be automatically restored. That they are not continues to confound me. :crazy:

[jody]

3. Makes sense to me, convicted criminals should not lose ANY civil right including RKBA. nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. Do they have to apply for the restoration of THAT right???

Do they have to apply for the restoration of the right to free speech, religion, etc.? :shrug:

[jody]

9. Yes and no nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. That sounds like such a "Koshian" answer

B5 fans will know what I'm talking about ;-)

[jody]

12. You asked two questions and I answered both. nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

16. Just having some fun

Hope I didn't offend :-)

[varkam]

4. Well, the traditional justification....

is that section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment essentially permits states to disenfranchise voters on the basis of criminal activity (at least, that's the holding of the Supreme Court in Richardson v. Ramirez). And you're quite right that other countries allow prisoners to vote, and actually in Maine and Vermont prisoners are also allowed to vote.

But yeah, you're right -- IMHO automatic restoration should be a no-brainer.

[csziggy]

5. Florida has always been horrible about restoration of rights

Once someone has served their sentence, they have to apply for restoration of rights to a committee appointed by the governor. It is up to the whim of that committee to restore the rights. No real criteria, just if they feel like it. That was a slight improvement over the previous method when rights could only be restored by the governor.

I am not the least bit surprised that Prick Scott chose to do this. He will be all for suppression of votes in any way he can.

[jody]

2. Anyone who has paid her/his debt to society should have ALL civil rights restored including RKBA. nt

[FLAprogressive]

11. +1

[varkam]

13. I agree. Limiting rights of those who have paid their debt creates a second class of citizen.

[Scuba]

7. I thought Rick Scott WAS a felon, or did he buy his way out with the $$$ he stole?

[Imajika]

8. I've never understood this concept..

As far as I am concerned, as soon as a convicted person has done their time and is returned to society, they should have ALL their rights. The jail/prison time was their debt to society, why should we keep punishing them with a loss of rights after they've served their sentences?

[cali]

14. In Vermont you never lose the right to vote

even as a convicted felon in prison.

[varkam]

15. Maine, too....

though Maine and Vermont are outliers in that regard, near as I can tell. Every other state prohibits those who are incarcerated from voting, and many extend those disenfranchisement provisions to folks who are on probation or parole.

[fascisthunter]

17. they just love punishing people, don't they? Any chance to Strip Rights Away