Voting Rights of Florida Felons Scrutinized After 2000 Election

[Snellius]

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush looked out over a roomful of felons appealing to him for something they had lost, and tried to reassure them.

"Don't be nervous; we're not mean people," the governor said as some fidgeted, prayed, hushed children or polished their handwritten statements. "You can just speak from the heart."

And they did: convicted robbers, drunken drivers, drug traffickers and others, all finished with their sentences, standing up one by one in a basement room at the State Capitol and asking Mr. Bush to restore their civil rights. Their files before him, Mr. Bush asked one man about his drinking, another about his temper, and so on.

Four mornings a year, this unusual scene unfolds in front of the governor and his cabinet, as they review the requests of some of the thousands of felons whom Florida has stripped of their rights to vote, serve on a jury and hold public office.
...

"It's amazing to me that these Republicans that keep quoting the Bible seemingly don't believe in redemption and forgiveness when it comes to restoring civil rights," Mr. Maddox said through a spokeswoman.

Florida is the largest of the seven states that permanently take away the voting rights of all felons. While other states have scaled back similar bans in recent years, Governor Bush and the Legislature call their law a necessary consequence for citizens who commit crimes, and point out that many are eventually granted clemency. "The governor believes this is a fair process," Jacob DiPietre, a spokesman for Mr. Bush, wrote in an e-mail response to questions about the ban. He pointed out that more criminals were getting their rights restored without hearings under a smoother process set in place by the governor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/politics/campaign/28FELO.html?hp

[Blayde Starrfyre]

1. The explanation is obvious

The people who get convicted are the people who don't have the money to avoid it. The people who don't have the money don't vote Republican. Really a pretty vile scheme to keep Jeb in power.

[jburton]

7. Bingo!

If you have enough money, you don't go to jail in the first place. Or at least get bargained down to a less than felonious plea.

[unblock]

2. this is just nuts

so there's a process by which a politician gets to decide who votes or not?

am i the only one who thinks this is a problem?


sheesh. voting rights has absolutely ZERO deterent effect. it has NOTHING to do with law enforcement. it's all about winning elections by hook or by crook. in this case, by crook.

[Andy_Stephenson]

3. If you believe in restoring rights then...

sign The Statement of Principle for Clean Voting

Here: http://www.andystephenson.com

[truthseeker1]

5. That petition has nothing to do with restoring felons' rights

I agree with the petition about electronic voting, but it says nothing about restoring the voting rights of felons.

[truthseeker1]

4. Voting rights should be restored once a felon has done the time

for the crime. And it should be federally mandated. And yes it's absolutely insane that a politician should be able to decide who gets that right reinstated.

*shaking my head in disgust*

[Eric J in MN]

6. citiizens should always be allowed to vote

Just because a citizen is in prison doesn't mean he shouldn't receive a ballot.

[goclark]

8. Needs to ask his own brother @drinking habits

At least the felons have some people watching over them.
Jeb's brother is suppose to be watching over all of us and
his rehab is a big question mark.

[bagnana]

9. has this been constitutionally tested?

It seems to me that the right to vote is a fundamental right that cannot be stripped away without compelling need. What compelling need could any state claim to prevent ex-felons who have served their sentence, from exercising their right to vote?

[leesa]

10. Kidding me? They didn't even restore the votes of those who had been

"mistakenly" disenfranchised, much less those who actually did a crime at one time. What scum Jeb is...thinks he's a King.