Advocates: NYS Must Simplify Laws Barring Felons from Voting

[hrmjustin]

City Wire

Tomorrow, when New York State sorts through the vote counts from today's primary, there will likely be consternation over low voter turnout—the small number of people eligible to vote who actually cast ballots—as a symptom of civic disengagement.

But that turnout calculation omits one category of New Yorker altogether: people who could vote if they weren't in prison or on parole. Civil rights advocates believe that section of the state's population merits new attention once the elections are over and legislators return to Albany.

All but two states (Maine and Vermont) disqualify people who go to prison from voting. The other 48 employ a range of approaches.

Thirteen bar people from voting only when they're in prison. New York and three other states—California, Colorado and Connecticut—prevent prisoners and parolees from voting.

http://m.citylimits.org/citylimits/db_316987/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Q71EHZuZ#.VBA61S5dV8s

[immoderate]

1. It's outrageous that prisoners can't vote!

As a group, they are uniquely positioned to spot certain flaws in the system.

--imm

[hrmjustin]

2. Interesting point. I am in favor of restoring their voting rights when released.

While in prison I never really thought about it.

[immoderate]

3. Aren't they citizens?

Do you think people in jail for possession would have a conflict voting to end prohibition?

Most of Europe, Canada, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and the exotic states of Massachusetts and Vermont do not disenfranchise prisoners. Is there a reason they should? Have you noticed our system tends to disenfranchise by race? Does that work for you?

--imm

[hrmjustin]

4. no of course it doesn't! !!

[immoderate]

5. Brother!

--imm

[hrmjustin]

6. .

You make good points about it and I think that it should be rethought.

I think many people in prison should not be and our criminal code should be rethought nationwide.

[immoderate]

7. That many shouldn't be there is a good point.

It throws light onto how arbitrary criminal code is. Compare to voting, which is (IMO) a basic right. Unifying multiple levels of laws is a far off wish.

I think prisoners, on the whole, know right from wrong, and are, perhaps less naive than most. I think even the extreme crazy types they show on MSNBC weekends would mostly not vote against their own interests. I'm just speculating here. But it should be their right, anyway.

--imm

[hrmjustin]

8. Yes i think they would have a hands on approach how the system failed.

Of course the gop would never go for it.