St. Pete Times: No telling if voter rolls are ready for 2004

[Tony_FLADEM]

In 2000, some people were mistakenly labeled felons and denied voting rights. Despite three years of reform efforts, inconsistencies and obstacles remain.


<http://www.sptimes.com/2003/12/21/State/No_telling_if_voter_r.shtml>

[Old and In the Way]

1. Planned incompetence.

Florida's results should be disgarded in the 2004 election if we cannot certify that the problems are corrected. I see no reason to give FL to Bush because his brother is unable to fix the voting rolls he broke.

Maybe that would motivate the voters of Florida to recall Jeb.

[rfranklin]

2. Simple solution...allow felons to vote after serving their sentence....

An elegant solution but the disenfranchisement of "felons" was created by the white folks in the south to keep the black folks from voting. Initially important for state and local elections, this law has been embraced by Republicans as part of their "Southern Strategy" after the racists fled the Democratic Party when LBJ rammed through Civil Rights legislation.

[Eric J in MN]

4. The article said there is both a ballot measure and a lawsuit for that.

The article said that there is a lawsuit charging that it's unconstitutional to bar felons who hav completed their sentences from voting, and that the issue may also be put to the people as a ballot initiative.

[Eric J in MN]

3. Apparently each county is handling the matter differently.

In Hillsborough, elections officials next month will send letters to more than 700 people who may have been erroneously removed from the rolls. Those with verified addresses who don't respond will be presumed to be valid voters and restored to the rolls.

"Our view is to put them back on unless they say, "No sir, you're right: I am a felon,' " said Chuck Smith of the Hillsborough elections office.

In Pinellas, Pasco and many other counties, elections officials say people who don't produce evidence that they aren't felons still will be barred from voting. In some cases, that would require fingerprint checks.

"I know it's almost like you're guilty until proven innocent, but we will help you prove your innocence," said Pasco Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning.

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So in Pinellas, if you happen to have the same name as a felon, you can't vote unless you submit your fingerprints to the county.