Iowa Supreme Court upholds (permanent) ban on voting rights for felons

[TomSea]

Iowa Supreme Court upholds ban on voting rights for felons

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Convicted felons in Iowa may be automatically stripped of their voting rights for life unless those rights are restored by the governor, a divided Iowa Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The 4-3 decision permanently disenfranchises thousands of former offenders and upholds Iowa's status as one of the most restrictive states for voting by felons.

Democrats and civil-liberties advocates expressed disappointment in a court known for its 2009 ruling legalizing gay marriage and other progressive decisions.

"This ruling means that Iowa will continue to serve as a notorious outlier when it comes to restricting people's right to vote," said Julie Ebenstein, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project.

Read More At: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/court-upholds-iowas-ban-on-voting-rights-for-felons/ar-AAhOmPK?ocid=ansmsnnews11

I'd be more lenient. I don't know how many states permanently ban felons from voting. I know that some allow felons out of prison to vote.

[thackney]

Comparison by state:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx

[TomSea]

Thanks for the information THackney!