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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFloridas ban on ex-felons voting is unconstitutional and biased, federal judge rules
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/02/02/floridas-ban-on-ex-felons-voting-is-unconstitutional-and-biased-federal-judge-rules/?utm_term=.435f54aad9dc
In a blistering decision that could impact the 2018 midterm elections, a federal judge on Thursday ruled that Floridas system for barring former felons from voting is unconstitutional and potentially tainted by racial, political or religious bias.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker blasted the state panel led by Floridas governor that decides whether to restore voting rights to people who have completed their sentences, saying their process is arbitrary and exceedingly slow.
In Florida, elected, partisan officials have extraordinary authority to grant or withhold the right to vote from hundreds of thousands of people without any constraints, guidelines, or standards, Walker wrote. The question now is whether such a system passes constitutional muster. It does not.
A person convicted of a crime may have long ago exited the prison cell and completed probation, the judge continued in the 43-page order. Her voting rights, however, remain locked in a dark crypt. Only the state has the key but the state has swallowed it.
The judge did not rule on how the issue should be remedied he will hold hearings on that in mid-February but he said the voter restoration system must be changed as soon as possible.
In a blistering decision that could impact the 2018 midterm elections, a federal judge on Thursday ruled that Floridas system for barring former felons from voting is unconstitutional and potentially tainted by racial, political or religious bias.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker blasted the state panel led by Floridas governor that decides whether to restore voting rights to people who have completed their sentences, saying their process is arbitrary and exceedingly slow.
In Florida, elected, partisan officials have extraordinary authority to grant or withhold the right to vote from hundreds of thousands of people without any constraints, guidelines, or standards, Walker wrote. The question now is whether such a system passes constitutional muster. It does not.
A person convicted of a crime may have long ago exited the prison cell and completed probation, the judge continued in the 43-page order. Her voting rights, however, remain locked in a dark crypt. Only the state has the key but the state has swallowed it.
The judge did not rule on how the issue should be remedied he will hold hearings on that in mid-February but he said the voter restoration system must be changed as soon as possible.
Turn Florida blue again! Every vote counts
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Floridas ban on ex-felons voting is unconstitutional and biased, federal judge rules (Original Post)
IronLionZion
Feb 2018
OP
underpants
(182,823 posts)1. Good news
And we need some
Gothmog
(145,291 posts)2. This is great news
Old Vet
(2,001 posts)3. Are you f--cking kidding me, Forida give a shit load of black and spanish people the right to vote.
Don't hold your breath on anything being done about this in our lifetime...........
IronLionZion
(45,447 posts)4. It's on the ballot this November
A measure to restore voting rights to 1.2 million Florida voters, excluding convicted murderers and sex offenders, will appear as an amendment on state ballots in November.
In one withering anecdote, Walker described the case of a white man who was convicted of casting an illegal ballot in 2010. When the man went before the board three years later, Scott asked him about his illegal voting.
Actually, I voted for you, the man said. Scott laughed and told him, I probably shouldnt respond to that. Seconds later, the governor ordered his voting rights restored, according to the ruling.
Actually, I voted for you, the man said. Scott laughed and told him, I probably shouldnt respond to that. Seconds later, the governor ordered his voting rights restored, according to the ruling.
RockaFowler
(7,429 posts)5. Great news to read this today
I've mentioned before that my husband has waited 20 years to get his rights restored. This state is unreal. It was bad enough under Jeb! and Charlie Crist, but pRick Scott has made it harder to get your rights restored. The paperwork that you have to fill out alone was bad enough. Then it takes another 6 months to be put on a list to even get a hearing.
Samantha Bee did a great story on this last year. It goes into great detail. I'll try to find it.