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More than 1 million Floridians with felony convictions get back their right to vote today

poweRob

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Happy to see that people can actually serve their time and get their rights restored. Buh bye Jim Crow.

More than 1 million Floridians with felony convictions get back their right to vote today

A new state law takes effect in Florida Tuesday that is expected to restore voting rights to more than a million people with felony convictions -- despite questions from state officials about its implementation. Supporters of the law say there's nothing ambiguous about Amendment 4, which was approved by nearly 65% of Florida voters in the November midterm elections.

The new law says voting rights shall be restored to those with felony convictions who complete all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.​
 
5% of the population of Florida has a felony conviction?
 
Happy to see that people can actually serve their time and get their rights restored. Buh bye Jim Crow.
More than 1 million Floridians with felony convictions get back their right to vote todayA new state law takes effect in Florida Tuesday that is expected to restore voting rights to more than a million people with felony convictions -- despite questions from state officials about its implementation. Supporters of the law say there's nothing ambiguous about Amendment 4, which was approved by nearly 65% of Florida voters in the November midterm elections.The new law says voting rights shall be restored to those with felony convictions who complete all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.​

Felons losing voting rights, whatever you think of it, doesn't have anything to do with "Jim Crow." The history of it goes back to Greco-Roman times, and current practices developed out of (as most US legal practices do) the English common law system.

State laws vary, but there's no pattern at all which indicates felon disenfranchisement is an artifact of "Jim Crow."

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx
 
I have no issue with how Florida is passing voting rights back.
 
If they're considered safe to walk the streets, I don't see why they should be prevented from voting.
 
Now if Florida adopted automatic voter registration that would be even better.
 
Restoring gun ownership rights too?
 
5% of the population of Florida has a felony conviction?

8% of the US population has a felony conviction so FL is doing better than most states

According to this, 14% of the adult population in Florida has a felony conviction. 5% must be the subset that meets the other requirements (completed their sentence, not murder or sex charge conviction, and of course a citizen).

https://www.libertariannews.org/201...dult-population-that-has-a-felony-conviction/


Those numbers are amazing. But we ARE America, the country that incarcerates more of its people than any other nation. So maybe it shouldn’t surprise me.
 
Better for Democracy.
Not requiring registration at all would be even better for "Democracy." Doubt it would serve our country very well, though.
 
Not requiring registration at all would be even better for "Democracy." Doubt it would serve our country very well, though.

That reminds me of the "If gays want to get married then there shouldn't be marriage" argument.

So long as voter registration is a thing then it might as well be automatic for all citizens once they turn 18.
 
That reminds me of the "If gays want to get married then there shouldn't be marriage" argument.

So long as voter registration is a thing then it might as well be automatic for all citizens once they turn 18.
Why? "Because gay marriage" isn't really an answer.
 
Sounds like tactics to try and swing Florida in favor of Democrats for presidential races.
 
Felons losing voting rights, whatever you think of it, doesn't have anything to do with "Jim Crow." The history of it goes back to Greco-Roman times, and current practices developed out of (as most US legal practices do) the English common law system.

State laws vary, but there's no pattern at all which indicates felon disenfranchisement is an artifact of "Jim Crow."

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx

The use of it in the South is directly tied to Jim Crow laws and started getting enshrined in the South after the civil war and slaves started voting.
 
Sounds like tactics to try and swing Florida in favor of Democrats for presidential races.

Let's say, solely for the sake of argument, that you're 100% right. Is it possible to want the right thing for a cynical motive?

What if I give to charity for no other reason than to make people believe that I'm generous. Is the act of giving to charity bad?
 
The use of it in the South is directly tied to Jim Crow laws and started getting enshrined in the South after the civil war and slaves started voting.

That's simply not true.
 
I have no issue with how Florida is passing voting rights back.

I don't either. If we wish not to restore a person's rights, once time is served, then we have a problem with this idea of rehabilitation. Now maybe with multiple offenders, but if someone is deemed to be a threat to the public, then they shouldn't be released to begin with.
 
Those numbers are amazing. But we ARE America, the country that incarcerates more of its people than any other nation. So maybe it shouldn’t surprise me.

There is at least a trend to decriminalize non-violent drug use, which, while not far enough, would reduce that.
 
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