9 Ohio County Boards of Election did not know convicted felons are eligible to vote

[mod mom]

Counties confused over felon voting rights

Posted by joncraig at 9/19/2008 12:50 PM EDT
Nine county Boards of Election did not know convicted felons are eligible to vote once they are released from prison and placed on probation, according to a new report by the Cincinnati-based Ohio Justice & Policy Center.

But that's an improvement over 2004 when 21 county Boards of election did not know the law, according to David A. Singleton, executive director of the center. "While we are glad to see significant improvement, more work needs to be done,'' Singleton said. "We need to ensure that every felon in Ohio knows that he or she can vote once released from prison."

Today's report also found more felons know they are eligible to vote on Nov. 4 than did during the last presidential election. In 2004, 43 percent of the felons interviewed in Hamilton County thought they weren't allowed to vote, according to the study. (The deadline to register is Oct. 6.)

This year, the justice center's interviews at the Hamilton County parole office found that 84 percent of felons knew they are eligible to vote.

The report recommends Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner educate these nine county Boards of Election about Ohio law: Ashtabula, Darke, Henry, Knox, Lucas, Medina and Putnam. Also,, the justice center recommends that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction provide mandatory voter eligibility education to all Ohio prisoners and require parole officers to make voter registration forms available to all parolees.

Singleton said studies show felons who vote are less likely to commit crimes.

-snip


http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=blog02&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3aec38bb2b-982e-46ba-819a-da01a547e8eaPost%3a0bc2a1d2-ea30-4122-86cb-ea1374acee1c&plckCommentSortOrder=TimeStampAscending&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com

Hmmh...wonder if they intentionally did not know-it's only their job to know

[aquart]

1. Do they know NOW?

[tbyg52]

2. K&R - may we have a 5th, please? nt