Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

[poweRob]

I didn't know it took 60% of popular vote to amend. Interesting. I hope this passes. Poll sample seems a bit small though.

Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

A survey by the University of North Florida shows 71 percent support for Amendment 4, which would allow Floridians with felony convictions to have their rights restored upon completion of their sentence or probation.

Only 21 percent of the sample of 616 likely voters said they would vote no. The margin of error is about 4 percentage points. An amendment requires 60 percent of the vote to be ratified.​

 

[Carjosse]

This has the potential to have a major impact in a swing state.

 

[Chillfolks]

I wonder how this will effect gun ownership rights

 

[poweRob]

I wonder how this will effect gun ownership rights

What's florida's ownership issues now?

 

[bearpoker]

I wonder how this will effect gun ownership rights

That's a different question. If the conviction was for a violent crime, especially if a gun was used, I'd say no. If it was just for selling pot, then I don't see any reason to strip the ex-con's gun ownership after completion of sentence and probation.

 

[Chillfolks]

Currently they can not own a gun unless there have their rights restored. If this is passed they way I understand it would allow convinced felony to own guns once they serve their time along with the vote. If so I can support this. If its a pick and choose restoration law i wouldn't support it. It wasn't really clear from the article what rights beyond voting would be restored

 

[Superfly]

I believe felons should have voting rights restored. They have served their time. They have paid their debt to society. They still live here, so they should have a say in how things are handled.

 

[Casper]

I didn't know it took 60% of popular vote to amend. Interesting. I hope this passes. Poll sample seems a bit small though.

Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

A survey by the University of North Florida shows 71 percent support for Amendment 4, which would allow Floridians with felony convictions to have their rights restored upon completion of their sentence or probation.

Only 21 percent of the sample of 616 likely voters said they would vote no. The margin of error is about 4 percentage points. An amendment requires 60 percent of the vote to be ratified.​

I agree with them, so long as completed means their entire sentence including parole and probation.
You should have included a poll yourself, just saying.

 

[Renae]

I didn't know it took 60% of popular vote to amend. Interesting. I hope this passes. Poll sample seems a bit small though.

Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

A survey by the University of North Florida shows 71 percent support for Amendment 4, which would allow Floridians with felony convictions to have their rights restored upon completion of their sentence or probation.

Only 21 percent of the sample of 616 likely voters said they would vote no. The margin of error is about 4 percentage points. An amendment requires 60 percent of the vote to be ratified.​

Just what we need, felon's voting for people that want to reduce law enforcement... good plan. /smh

 

[Casper]

Currently they can not own a gun unless there have their rights restored. If this is passed they way I understand it would allow convinced felony to own guns once they serve their time along with the vote. If so I can support this. If its a pick and choose restoration law i wouldn't support it. It wasn't really clear from the article what rights beyond voting would be restored

Agree with that also.

 

[poweRob]

Currently they can not own a gun unless there have their rights restored. If this is passed they way I understand it would allow convinced felony to own guns once they serve their time along with the vote. If so I can support this. If its a pick and choose restoration law i wouldn't support it. It wasn't really clear from the article what rights beyond voting would be restored

You demand all or none sweeping law and no incremental victories with which would pave the path for other victories that you want to see?

 

[Carjosse]

Just what we need, felon's voting for people that want to reduce law enforcement... good plan. /smh

They have paid their debt to society, they are now just like any citizen why should they not have the same say as any other citizen?

 

[Renae]

They have paid their debt to society, they are now just like any citizen why should they not have the same say as any other citizen?

They paid their debt...
Yet they have a high recidivism rate and have proven they lack good judgement, you only want them to have the vote because they tend to vote Democrat... I don't want them to vote because people that commit felonies aren't really people I believe should be having a say in society, they chose to give up that right.

 

[Carjosse]

They paid their debt...
Yet they have a high recidivism rate and have proven they lack good judgement, you only want them to have the vote because they tend to vote Democrat... I don't want them to vote because people that commit felonies aren't really people I believe should be having a say in society, they chose to give up that right.

There are plenty of non-felons with a lack of good judgement. If they commit another crime they will be in prison again, and not with the right to vote. But why should felons who turn their lives around not be able to vote?

 

[<alt>doxygen]

I wonder how this will effect gun ownership rights

It won't. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Hammer

We are the test bed for things the NRA wants to take national. My own state rep is basically an NRA lawyer.

 

[SonOfDaedalus]

They paid their debt...
Yet they have a high recidivism rate and have proven they lack good judgement, you only want them to have the vote because they tend to vote Democrat... I don't want them to vote because people that commit felonies aren't really people I believe should be having a say in society, they chose to give up that right.

You don't want them to vote because many of them are minorities who would overwhelmingly vote Democrat.

The original reasons for preventing felons from voting was a rather irrational fear that felons would vote for lawlessness and anti-social policies.

But isn't the principle, "No taxation without representation"? If they pay taxes they should be allowed to vote.

I don't think they should be allowed to own guns if their convictions related to violence or drug dealing.

 

[poweRob]

Just what we need, felon's voting for people that want to reduce law enforcement... good plan. /smh

I guess you just doin't like democracy. Go figure.

 

[Chillfolks]

You demand all or none sweeping law and no incremental victories with which would pave the path for other victories that you want to see?

Simple answer is Yes. I'm of the opinion that on e someone has served their time, completed any restitution requirement, they are no longer considered a threat to society and the state claims their debt to society paid in full they should have all their rights restored.
I'm not a fan of incrementally returning them because all rights should be equally important. Having an a stepped approach creates a where not all rights are equal and system that treats those rights more as privileges you can get back not rights restored upon completion of one's debt to society IMO.

 

[Middle_Ground]

They paid their debt...
Yet they have a high recidivism rate and have proven they lack good judgement, you only want them to have the vote because they tend to vote Democrat... I don't want them to vote because people that commit felonies aren't really people I believe should be having a say in society, they chose to give up that right.

You think may be the high recidivism rates may just be due to the huge letter F stamped on them. Someone convicted of felony possession of marijuana can not get federal financial aide to goto to school. They have a hard time with gainful employment.
Maybe just maybe if we gave them back all the rights white collar criminals possess the day they walk out of prison (because they have money to get their rights back) the recidivism rate wouldn't be so high?

 

[poweRob]

Simple answer is Yes. I'm of the opinion that on e someone has served their time, completed any restitution requirement, they are no longer considered a threat to society and the state claims their debt to society paid in full they should have all their rights restored.
I'm not a fan of incrementally returning them because all rights should be equally important. Having an a stepped approach creates a where not all rights are equal and system that treats those rights more as privileges you can get back not rights restored upon completion of one's debt to society IMO.

I'm talking about the approach legally to get it done. If this passes, it lays the groundwork for a lawsuit to cite it as their legal path for what you want. Why wouldn't you want that?

 

[ecofarm]

You think may be the high recidivism rates may just be due to the huge letter F stamped on them. Someone convicted of felony possession of marijuana can not get federal financial aide to goto to school. They have a hard time with gainful employment.
Maybe just maybe if we gave them back all the rights white collar criminals possess the day they walk out of prison (because they have money to get their rights back) the recidivism rate wouldn't be so high?

They can't get a real job, or a decent apartment. They work for a restaurant (no offense) and rent in the ghetto or next door. They can't vote, so hard to care about becoming involved in that avenue of assimilation.

 

[Captain America]

I think felons should have considered the loss of their rights BEFORE they committed a felony.

The whole point is to deter felonious crime.

Tough noogies convict. Suck it up.

If it was up to me, felons would have a big F tattooed on their forehead. **** 'em.

 

[Floridafan]

I didn't know it took 60% of popular vote to amend. Interesting. I hope this passes. Poll sample seems a bit small though.

Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

A survey by the University of North Florida shows 71 percent support for Amendment 4, which would allow Floridians with felony convictions to have their rights restored upon completion of their sentence or probation.

Only 21 percent of the sample of 616 likely voters said they would vote no. The margin of error is about 4 percentage points. An amendment requires 60 percent of the vote to be ratified.​

Every citizen should be allowed to vote, even if serving a sentence in prison. Denying voting rights is just another right wing way of reducing the number of people who vote.

 

[ludin]

I didn't know it took 60% of popular vote to amend. Interesting. I hope this passes. Poll sample seems a bit small though.

Poll: Felon voting rights amendment gets huge support

A survey by the University of North Florida shows 71 percent support for Amendment 4, which would allow Floridians with felony convictions to have their rights restored upon completion of their sentence or probation.

Only 21 percent of the sample of 616 likely voters said they would vote no. The margin of error is about 4 percentage points. An amendment requires 60 percent of the vote to be ratified.​

In florida it takes 60% of the vote to pass an amendment.
This was passed a while ago because we had some really stupid amendments get passed.

The issue right now is that you have to appeal to the Gov's office and that is highly subjective in how they grant rights back.
there are still limits of who can do it, but for the majority of people they will get there rights back.

it is still up in the air how this will go.

 

[Chillfolks]

I'm talking about the approach legally to get it done. If this passes, it lays the groundwork for a lawsuit to cite it as their legal path for what you want. Why wouldn't you want that?

If I was in FL I would research this more to learn the exact details, as it stands I would probably support it. It is better than nothing and gets me closer to my ideal scenarios


For debate I say if it doesn't restore all rights it's kind of Bull****. No one should have their rights slowly given back. Trickle down privileges is what you get with that approach.