Back to not voting: 11th Circuit sides with Florida on voting rights.
The voting rights if people in Florida with past felony convictions have been in limbo since the 2018 passage of Amendment 4, that was supposed to restore rights to former felons (other than those with a murder or sex offense conviction) who have completed their sentence.
Governor DeSantis’ administration, however, thought “completed their sentence” should include paying off all fines and fees, which most will never be able to pay. That rendered them ineligible to vote, until a Federal District Court Judge said otherwise. The inability to pay a fee will not render someone ineligible to vote. That victory was short lived, as the 11th Circuit reversed that decision Friday.
The decision is believed to have a substantial impact on the upcoming presidential election.
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So….did any sex offender have his fines paid off by M Bloomberg?
There should be a way for all people to vote even if felon votes are not counted toward election. Felons prevented from the election process in Florida can vote on election day the way they do in Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Oakland as inspired by the Boston Tea Party! Voting in federal election is a right from US Constitution, so the state of Florida has no authority to tell felons they can’t vote.
My husband was a first time offender who was never given parole or probation, and eventually the state of NJ maxed him out after 12+ years in 2002 for a 1990 conviction (there was no ‘Megan’s or Walsh registration law requirements at the time he was sentenced). He was a registered voter in NJ, PA and WA before moving to Florida, but now he is not allowed to vote, and for no other reason other than the fact that he now lives in the State of Florida. I tell everyone I know that may be considering moving to Florida to reconsider, or at least to read up on what laws will be applied to them (that most likely didn’t exist for them elsewhere) and not be as naive as I was in believing that this is the “United States” – it’s not. This is Fragmented Florida, where rules and regulations change depending on the municipality and county you live in (which is why masks are only required in some places here!). I wish someone had warned me before we spent all the money we had on purchasing a home here. Florida is one of a handful of states that never ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, just another example that Florida politicians don’t believe that all of its citizens are equal under the law.
While I doubt many will agree, my opinion is restitution and fines are part of the sentence ordered by the judge, just like prison time is. These should all be discharged prior to voting rights being restored.
Court and Administrative fees, on the other hand, are not, and should not require payment prior to voting rights being restored. I believe these would constitute a poll tax.
Alan, even though I do not agree with your opinion, I do respect your opinion and am willing to listen. But even if someone were to agree with you, please read this article and explain to me how what Florida is doing is acceptable to returning citizens:
https://www.vox.com/2020/9/15/21436148/voting-rights-trump-courts-wisconsin-florida-texas-supreme-court-age-constitution
I see the tides moving against Florida and the day is coming when all people can vote and there will be no subgroups left out.