felons right to vote
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LeBron James, Michael Jordan Help Erase $27 Million In Court Fees, Allowing Felons In Florida to Vote
For convicted felons in Florida, one of their biggest hurdles in exercising their right to vote is exorbitant court fees and fines that prevent them from being eligible to do so. But thanks to LeBron James, Michael Jordan and other celebrities who have partnered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, nearly 13,000 felons will be…
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40,000 Former Inmates in Iowa Have Their Voting Rights Restored After Governor Signs Executive Order
On Wednesday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed an executive order that immediately restored voting rights to former inmates who have completed their sentences. According to NBC News, this move means Iowa is no longer the only state to permanently disenfranchise former inmates. Approximately 40,000 former inmates who have completed their prison sentences, probation and parole…
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A Federal Judge Has Cut Down Florida's Law Requiring Former Felons Pay Fines Before Registering to Vote
Voting rights advocates in Florida and across the country are celebrating a recent federal judge ruling that opens the door for 1.5 million felons previously barred from voting to participate in the 2020 elections. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle has gutted a state law passed by Republican legislators in Florida that requires people with…
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Court Rules in Favor of Ex-Felons Over Florida Voting Law
Republican attempts to suppress the voting rights of anyone who may be against them have become more and more prevalent in recent years. Luckily, courts have been stepping in to hit them with a “Nah.” The Hill reports that an 11th Circuit U.S Appeals Court has ruled in favor of an injunction filed on behalf…
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New Kentucky Governor Restores Voting Rights to More Than 100,000 Formerly Incarcerated
Fresh into his new job as governor of Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshear signed an executive order Thursday to restore voting rights to more than 140,000 formerly incarcerated Kentuckians—a move that inordinately affects voting rights for African Americans in the Bluegrass State. As the Washington Post reports: On its face, Mr. Beshear’s executive order is race-blind.…
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Is This the New Poll Tax? Florida House Passes Bill Requiring Former Felons to Pay Up Before They Can Vote
In November, people in the state of Florida voted “yes” on Amendment 4—an initiative that would restore voting rights to more than one million former felons. The amendment would restore the rights of those with felony convictions who had completed their sentences—including prison terms, parole and probation. The only exclusion was those who had been…
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Black Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Casting Illegal Ballot Will Not Get New Trial
A Texas woman and ex-offender who received a harsh five-year jail sentence for voting illegally will not get a new trial, a judge decided Monday. According to the New York Times, Judge Ruben Gonzalez, the same judge who sentenced 43-year-old Crystal Mason to the lengthy jail term, turned down her bid for a retrial. In…
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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…