Supreme Court declines to reinstate vote of nearly 1 million Florida felons
By John Kruzel - 07/16/20 02:29 PM EDT
he Supreme Court on Thursday let stand a lower court ruling that could strip voting eligibility from up to 1 million Florida felons who have completed their sentences but have yet to pay outstanding fines, restitution and other fees.
In an unsigned opinion, the conservative-majority court declined to revisit a federal appeals court ruling that permits Florida to stop felons with outstanding court-imposed debt from registering to vote as a July 20 primary election registration deadline approaches.
Three of the court’s more liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, dissented.
"Under this scheme, nearly a million otherwise-eligible citizens cannot vote unless they pay money," wrote Sotomayor, who called the policy a "voter paywall."
The dispute concerns a 2018 amendment to Florida’s constitution that restored voting rights to those with felony convictions who had completed “all terms†of their sentences.
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https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/507690-supreme-court-declines-to-reinstate-vote-of-nearly-1-million-florida
