disenfranchisement
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Black Ex-Felons Will Bear the Brunt of Florida’s New ‘Poll Tax’ Law, According to Findings of New Study
Some 80 percent of Florida’s ex-felons eligible to vote will be barred from registering under a new state law, including a disproportionate number of blacks, despite a clear majority of voters approving a change to the state’s constitution meant to restore their voting rights. That’s the finding of a preliminary study done by a University…
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Republicans Oppose Proposed Law That Would Fight White Supremacy, Restore Democracy and Empower Black Voters
Democrats have proposed H.R. 1, a bill that would make our democracy more equitable, improved access for vulnerable groups to have a real say in how we are governed, and roll back voting restrictions that have disproportionately harmed people of color. That’s why it is the first bill of the new Democratic House majority—and likely…
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Felons in Florida May Have an Easier Time Restoring Their Right to Vote
Florida is one of four states in the union that permanently disenfranchise individuals convicted of a felony, even after they have paid their debt to society. As a result, there are 1.5 million people in the state who are barred from voting —20 percent of whom are black. The state does have a system through…
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Roy Moore and Alabama’s GOP Are Upset Because Thousands of Felons Registered to Vote
Leonard Robinson was convicted of felony possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute by the state of Alabama more than 20 years ago. Although he doesn’t consider himself an activist, everyone who knows him understands that there is one subject that he is always passionate about. He works hard to spread the word that…
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Supreme Court Rules That Disenfranchising Voters Is OK … as Long as It Isn’t Racist
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a devastating blow to race-based gerrymandering Monday when it ruled that North Carolina’s Legislature used racial considerations in redrawing two of the state’s voting districts. That’s the lead you’re likely to read as news outlets everywhere report on the high court’s 5-3 decision declaring that North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature relied…
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Report: 868 Fewer Places for People of Color to Cast Ballots in 2016 Election
Tuesday’s election is the first since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act three years ago in Shelby County v. Holder, and according to a study published Friday, 868 polling places that served mostly people of color have been closed in that time. “The Great Poll Closure” (pdf), a study published by the…