Florida Voted to Give Ex-Felons the Franchise. Now Republicans Are Throwing a Wrench in That Process

[babylonsister]

Florida Voted to Give Ex-Felons the Franchise. Now Republicans Are Throwing a Wrench in That Process.
Florida’s GOP elections chief is resisting implementation of the ballot initiative to expand voting rights.
Pema Levy
December 6, 2018 11:32 AM


A month after Florida voters approved a measure to restore the franchise to about 1.4 million former felons—the largest expansion of voting rights in decades—a battle over implementing that change is already beginning.

The state’s Republican elections chief is resisting swift implementation of the measure, which was approved by nearly 65 percent of Florida voters on November 6 and is scheduled to take effect on January 8. He’s asking the state Legislature, dominated by Republicans, to interpret the ballot initiative. As a result, the dismantling of one of the harshest disenfranchisement schemes in the country could be subject to delays, confusion, and lawsuits.

To those who crafted Amendment 4, the ballot language was straightforward. It read, “This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation.” It stipulated an exception for people convicted of murder or a sexual offense.

“On January 8, anybody who has completed the terms of their sentence for an offense other than murder or felony sexual assault had their rights restored by the voters on Election Day,” said Howard Simon, who as director of the Florida ACLU helped craft and shepherd Amendment 4 to passage. But Simon, who retired last week after 21 years leading the Florida ACLU, predicted that there might be trouble ahead. “I’m not naive,” he said in an interview with Mother Jones on the day he stepped down. He predicted that the state Legislature, which does not convene until March 5, might try to muddy the waters. Legislation could bog down rights restoration or sow enough confusion that some ex-felons are deterred from registering.

This week, the first signs of obstruction arose. The secretary of state, Republican Ken Detzner, told the media on Tuesday that he believes the ballot language is unclear and, rather than give guidance to the elections supervisors, he wants the state Legislature to weigh in. “We need to get some direction from them as far as implementation and definitions—all the kind of things that the supervisors were asking,” he said. “It would be inappropriate for us to charge off without direction from them.”

more...

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/12/florida-voted-to-give-ex-felons-the-franchise-now-republicans-are-throwing-a-wrench-in-that-process/

[OnDoutside]

1. To the courts !

[HAB911]

2. They'll do their best to run it out past 2020

[onethatcares]

3. what did you expect?

with an alien geek asshole as governor that hates the idea of felons possibly becoming normal people and having the right to vote.

Our republicant legislature still hasn't implemented the medical marijuana amendment without hassles and clauses and bullshit that is not what the people voted for.

This state is starting to really suck. I think of it as an overpopulated Wisconsin.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. it would be inappropriate not to incarcerate all Republicans

[RockaFowler]

5. I expected this . . .

That was why they cheated to get the Governorship.

I'm sorry there is no way that DeRacist won this state. He wasn't ahead in ANY POLLS. ANY. Don't tell me that the polls were wrong. The polls were right and pRick Scott allowed shenanigans all over the place in this state. From the email ballots in the panhandle to the lies about Broward and Palm Beach Counties (they were just counting the votes) - the Republicans wanted the chaos so they could steal the election from the Democrats.

I hate this state sometimes . . .

And yes this is personal for me. My husband has been denied 3 times from pRick Scott in order to get his rights restored. He had a Felony DUI in 1996 and we still can't get his rights restored. We've been married for 18 years (on Monday - woo-hoo) and he has done everything right since 1996. 22 years later and he can buy a house and they can tax us, but he cannot vote. Taxation without Representation my ass . . .

[Demovictory9]

6. they are so corrupt