Federal Appeals Court Blocks Restriction on Felons’ Voting Rights

[rangerrebew]

Federal Appeals Court Blocks Restriction on Felons’ Voting Rights

Judges subordinate victims' rights to criminals’ rights.
Wed Feb 26, 2020 Joseph Klein
 

A three-judge federal appeals court panel of the 11th Circuit ruled last week that a Florida law limiting the voting rights of certain felons who served their prison, parole and probation time, but did not fully complete all the terms of their sentences, was unconstitutional. It remanded the case to the lower court for further consideration and blocked enforcement of the law pending the final outcome of the case.

The Florida law was a follow-up to a state constitutional amendment approved by Florida’s voters in 2018 that allowed felons to vote upon "upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation."  Previously, anyone convicted of a felony in Florida lost their voting rights for life. The state legislature’s law, struck down by the federal appeals court, had sought to clarify that “completion” of a convicted felon's sentence should include payment of all legal financial obligations associated with the sentence, such as restitution to the victims and and payment of all fines. Florida's own Supreme Court had upheld the law in an advisory opinion. The federal appeals court judges, however, decided that the law violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution because it was a form of “wealth discrimination” against poorer felons.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/02/federal-appeals-court-blocks-sensible-restriction-joseph-klein/

[Free Vulcan]

This is one issue I lean more libertarian on.

If you've done the crime and the time, and jumped thru all the govts hoops, you should be allowed to vote.

Yes that sucks to have convicted felons, maybe even violent ones voting, but I don't like giving the govt the ability to play puppet master with people's right to vote.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

If a felon has not paid financial restitution for his crimes he was found guilty of, he certainly has not completed his obligations under the law and hence should not be considered a voting member of society.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

, but I don't like giving the govt the ability to play puppet master with people's right to vote.

ok, but isn't that inevitable? Government has to control who can vote and who can't no? Should illegals get the right to vote?

[Free Vulcan]

ok, but isn't that inevitable? Government has to control who can vote and who can't no? Should illegals get the right to vote?

Are illegals citizens? Conversely, should there be a million hoops to jump thru before you get the right to vote? Only landed male caucasian citizens verifiable to three generations back?

Beyond being a citizen not currenly serving time in prison, what other qualifications should there be, other than verifying who you are?

[thackney]

Are illegals citizens? Conversely, should there be a million hoops to jump thru before you get the right to vote? Only landed male caucasian citizens verifiable to three generations back?

Beyond being a citizen not currenly serving time in prison, what other qualifications should there be, other than verifying who you are?

Legal age for voting is requirement.  I just wish they would raise it to at least 40.... /sarc

[mortarman]

I have often felt that the law is a contract that the citizens of a legal society agree to. If someone refuses to abide by those laws, they forfeit the right to partake in that society. Until they agree to rejoin society by proving they can abide by the laws of that society, they can not be allowed to benefit from that society. That means paying all penalties incurred by their violations be they financial or time removed from society or both.
As for giving the vote to invasive species, unless they return to their native country an' apply for entry into our country, legally, an' then jump through all the hoops to earn citizenship, they do not deserve the right to vote.

 

[Free Vulcan]

Legal age for voting is requirement.  I just wish they would raise it to at least 40.... /sarc

Well yeah there's that. 

[berdie]

This is one issue I lean more libertarian on.

If you've done the crime and the time, and jumped thru all the govts hoops, you should be allowed to vote.

Yes that sucks to have convicted felons, maybe even violent ones voting, but I don't like giving the govt the ability to play puppet master with people's right to vote.

If a person has served the time, done the parole and paid the restitution (if any) they should be allowed to vote. That's just my very humble opinion....you really shouldn't punish someone all their lives for what may be one stupid mistake. And before anyone asks...yes I can vote a do diligently. I hold that right very dear.

[roamer_1]

This is one issue I lean more libertarian on.

If you've done the crime and the time, and jumped thru all the govts hoops, you should be allowed to vote.

Yes that sucks to have convicted felons, maybe even violent ones voting, but I don't like giving the govt the ability to play puppet master with people's right to vote.

I kinda agree with you on this...

The other side of the story: I have friends that had a wildly misspent yoot, much like myself, other than the bare fact that they got caught at it, and wound up doing time... I have said before, there but for the Grace of God go I...

The thing is, after getting out and settlin down, Such men have eschewed their former life, being fine husbands and fathers, family men, church goers, and generally speaking, nearly model citizens.

That such men as these, whose mistakes in yootful exuberance have taught them, arguably more so that those who stayed on the straight and narrow, that such men cannot vote and must dance around firearm ownership (living where firearms are almost literally life... subsistence hunting) is a crying shame.

I don't know where that line should be drawn, or how bold that line should be, but where it is now is not right. 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

If a person has served the time, done the parole and paid the restitution (if any) they should be allowed to vote. That's just my very humble opinion....you really shouldn't punish someone all their lives for what may be one stupid mistake. And before anyone asks...yes I can vote a do diligently. I hold that right very dear.

I don't disagree, but statistics point to the likelihood they will be repeat offenders.

I support never giving any repeat offender a right to vote.

Example from a few years ago. (Am kinda surprised that sexually related felonies are not higher as we are constantly told they are).
Recidivism of Adult Felons
https://www.cfc.wa.gov/PublicationSentencing/Recidivism/Adult_Recidivism_FY2007.pdf

[Smokin Joe]

I don't disagree, but statistics point to the likelihood they will be repeat offenders.

I support never giving any repeat offender a right to vote.

Example from a few years ago. (Am kinda surprised that sexually related felonies are not higher as we are constantly told they are).
Recidivism of Adult Felons
https://www.cfc.wa.gov/PublicationSentencing/Recidivism/Adult_Recidivism_FY2007.pdf

How about a three strikes clause that makes it permanent, but restoring the right to vote to offenders who have met the terms of their sentence after say, five years of staying out of trouble.

[Fishrrman]

Joe, that's a good compromise in #11 that I could support...

[Smokin Joe]

Joe, that's a good compromise in #11 that I could support...

ND allows for petition to restore the firearm rights of a non violent felon who has served all the terms of their sentence after five years from the date of the conclusion of that sentence. One convicted of a violent felony can petition after ten years. It still leaves the restoration of rights at the discretion of the reviewing body.

The right to vote is restored upon completion of sentence.

https://ccresourcecenter.org/state-restoration-profiles/north-dakota-restoration-of-rights-pardon-expungement-sealing/

[mrclose]

ND allows for petition to restore the firearm rights of a non violent felon who has served all the terms of their sentence after five years from the date of the conclusion of that sentence. One convicted of a violent felony can petition after ten years. It still leaves the restoration of rights at the discretion of the reviewing body.

The right to vote is restored upon completion of sentence.

https://ccresourcecenter.org/state-restoration-profiles/north-dakota-restoration-of-rights-pardon-expungement-sealing/

Ex felons are exactly that .. X felons.

All rights should once again be restored to them and that includes the right of self protection.
(Yes, that means gun ownership)

THE 2ND AND THE CONSTITUTION