Florida Felon Voting Rights – Most former felons won’t be eligible to vote
Bottom Line: Last year a new process for the restoration of felon voting rights in Florida passed as a constitutional amendment. The amendment called for the restoration of rights once one’s debt to society had been repaid. During this year’s state session, legislation passed defining financial restitution as part of the debt to society – quite literally that needed to be paid. To be clear, and as is omitted from every media account of this story I’ve come across this year, this is exactly what the authors of the amendment argued before Florida’s Supreme Court for its inclusion on our ballot’s last year. Despite this, political interest groups like the ACLU and NAACP, they are about as non-partisan as the DNC, are legally challenging Florida’s new law attempting to avoid financial restitution as a requirement to regain voting rights.
I’ve recently discussed how offensive it is to suggest that it’s acceptable for victims of felons to not be made whole, while felons regain privileges. It’s in these moments you see the true colors of politicos and news media. Where are the advocates of victims' rights in South Florida? It’s funny how they disappear when they perceive registering as many former felons as possible will lead to more votes for Democrats. But that’s not the crux of this story. We now know, based on a preliminary study by the University of Florida, how many former felons have actually paid back their debt to society as determined by the courts. 18%.
That’s right, approximately 82% of Florida’s former felons haven’t completed their court ordered requirements yet are being fought for by the ACLU, NAACP and other related political interests to regain the ability to vote. Anyone else see anything wrong with this picture? Anyone in news media care to talk to victims of felons who’re owed restitution? There are two sides to stories and one side to facts. I’ll continue to bring you the facts.