Voting Rights for Felons

[Shadowferal]

If you committed murder then you've lost your rights.
I don't see how this is even an issue.

[chazus]

In Florida alone, there are 1.5 million ex-felons that could not vote during the state election.

I find it a little hard to believe that nearly 10% of Florida residents are felons.

In jail...you don't get a vote. I see no reason for compromise.

Why should you not get a vote if you're in jail? A TON of people are in jail for pretty tame reasons, including clerical stuff.

[ipaq]

Voting matters in every republic and there's been a lot of discussion of problems with certain groups not being able to vote, such as attempts to make it harder for some to vote. There's also been a lot of discussion over undocumented individuals attempting to vote. However, one demographic that doesn't get discussed often is felons.

The fourteenth amendment allows states to adopt rules for felony disenfranchisement for "participation in rebellion or other crime". This leads to situations where some people have their ability to vote removed entirely. In Florida alone, there are 1.5 million ex-felons that could not vote during the state election.

There is currently a ballot to change Florida's constitution, amendment 4, which would restore the right to vote to ex-felons in Florida, excluding those convicted of murder or sex offenses.

Florida isn't alone in voting restrictions for felons. While felons in most states are allowed to vote after completing their sentences, Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming continue to have restrictions that limit voting.

During 2008, 5.3 million people were unable to vote, which comprised 2.5% of the potential voters in general.

Some states go further to protect voting rights though. For example, Maine and Vermont allow felons to vote from prison.

Should those currently incarcerated be allowed to vote at all, or should they only be able to vote once their sentence ends? Or should felons permanently lose their ability to vote?

That skinhead vote is important to keep the republican in power.

[Grapemask]

Felons can run for Congress and for President. If a felon can run for and hold public office, restricting felons from voting for people to hold public office seems a bit silly.

[Trifle]

I find it a little hard to believe that nearly 10% of Florida residents are felons.

Ex-felons rather than felons, but yup.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felon_...ent_in_Florida

Statistics (2016)
10.43% of the Florida population is disenfranchised[8]
1,686,318 total Floridians are disenfranchised[8]
Florida has the most disenfranchised citizens in the United States[8]
Florida has the highest disenfranchisement rate in the United States[8]
23.3% of black voters in Florida can’t vote because of felony disenfranchisement[8]

You get disqualified based on the conviction rather than the sentence, so this will include people that never went to jail too... sentences of probation etc can still get you barred from voting.

[Sunseeker]

Once your sentence ends (and all related parole and other punishments) you should have your full rights restored to you.

[chazus]

10.43% of the Florida population is disenfranchised[8]
23.3% of black voters in Florida can’t vote because of felony disenfranchisement[8]

If true, that's kind of bonkers.

At the same time I also remind myself.. well.. "Florida"

[Xarkan]

Should those currently incarcerated be allowed to vote at all, or should they only be able to vote once their sentence ends? Or should felons permanently lose their ability to vote?

For the US i do not really care

I just wonder here.. Is the US issue really a surplus of voters and too much legitimacy of its government? Is the voting percentage really that high that you need to limit the voter pool?

For Denmark.. i do think felons/ex-cons should be able to vote. As well as any people who are competent to form a political opinion (even if they are in other ways incompetent to handle their lives.) And by competent i do not mean agree with me, if they want to vote for the second* coming of Joseph Stalin that is fine as long as they are capable of making an informed choice about it.

*) We may be long past the second coming of Jospeh Stalin. That is besides the point.

[Nihilist74]

I think there should be a path to getting a pardon for your crime. The more severe your crime is, the harder it is to get the pardon. With the pardon, all your rights would be restored as if you were never convicted.

[Skroe]

Utterly ridiculous, when you've done your time... you've done your time, why do people need to be punished for their whole life.

Guess that's some kind of US logic!

It's the same reason as to why some Americans think the US should torture suspected terrorists in its custody, despite torture being a proven ineffective and unreliable way to get information (and is morally offensive of course).

It's the same reason they construct schemes where that would happen... picture every "ticking clock scenario" ever told.

It's because some segment of Americans wants to sociopathically inflict harm on other people because it makes weak people feel strong, and right.

It's really as simple as that. Either imprisoned criminals shouldn't vote or should in jail - debatable. But once out of jail and their debt to society paid, then they must have the right to vote they are entitled to. If they don't, then that implies their debt to society isn't paid, so why are they out of jail?

It's insane how 230 years later the eighth amendment is as necessary as ever because the proclivity of some people to want to go above and beyond proportionate punishment for crimes. It's like they are so dull to it all, they don't fully grasp the enormity of depriving an individual of their freedom for years on end. Even a five year sentence where the duration is a full five years is nothing to sneeze at. That changes a person's life forever.

On what grounds should there be more, after time is served? It's barbaric.

[Adam Jensen]

Felons should vote once they're out. They've done their sentence. Now their time as a full citizen of the country is to be restored. Sentences for crime should be more corrective and less punitive.

[Brubear]

Why should people who have no regard for the law be allowed to vote on them?

Yeah! Those damned protesters complaining about how unfair it is to have no say in their representation just need to get over it! Just because you pay taxes doesn't mean you have a right to say who represents you! Where would a crazy-lawbreaker get such an idea as to think that they should have a say in representation even if they were to say, loot something in protest and break a bunch of stuff?

Kids and their crazy ideas these days....

- - - Updated - - -

I find it a little hard to believe that nearly 10% of Florida residents are felons.


Why should you not get a vote if you're in jail? A TON of people are in jail for pretty tame reasons, including clerical stuff.

Founds three different sources, two fairly reputable and one right leaning, that all cite this figure.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...om-voting.html

https://www.npr.org/2018/07/05/62567...thout-a-hassle

https://www.libertariannews.org/2014...ny-conviction/

[Kiri]

Felons should vote once they're out. They've done their sentence. Now their time as a full citizen of the country is to be restored. Sentences for crime should be more corrective and less punitive.

Sadly, a lot of people do not care about correction, they only seek to punish criminals. Or rather, criminals that get caught and convicted, which is not the same as criminals. Especially the rich and powerful often can more easily dodge punishment for minor, sometimes major offenses, which is in line with the wealth and power worship that can often be found in the US.

[Zaydin]

Why should people who have no regard for the law be allowed to vote on them?

So does that mean you are okay with removing the criminal defiling the White House right now from office? After all, Trump has no regard for the law.

[zealo]

Why should people who have no regard for the law be allowed to vote on them?

Isn't, you know, being in prison, supposed to be the punishment for crimes done?

What's the logic in wanting to continue to punish people after they've done their sentence?

[PosPosPos]

This assumes that all felons are guilty, and none of them are felons because of wrongful convictions.

Then again, a rather large part of America supports putting innocent people in prison to expand the prison slavery industry, so keeping human rights for prisoners would run afoul of that.

[Gestopft]

If society has deemed you fit to release from prison, you should sure as hell be fit to vote.

[Deleted]

ITT:

People only go to prison for ONE reason and that is MURDER and therefore MURDERER'S shouldn't get to vote.

Nonviolent, nonsexual offenders should be free to vote any time, and other offenders should be able to vote once free. When you take away people's rights for life, and push on this idea that they are and always will be a criminal rather than focus on rehabilitation, surprise surprise you end up with repeat offenders.

[Soxoffender]

Absolutely they should be able to vote. As others have said - they're still citizens and disenfranchising people is not a great way to convince them that they have a stake in the future fortunes of society.

[Somewhatconcerned]

Absolutely they should be able to vote. As others have said - they're still citizens and disenfranchising people is not a great way to convince them that they have a stake in the future fortunes of society.

How do you have a "stake in the future fortunes of society" if you're locked up for life?