Appellate Court Weighs Florida Law on Felon Voting Rights

Source: Associated Press


The state of Florida is asking a U.S. appellate court to set aside a ruling that lets some impoverished felons regain access to the ballot box, even if they still owe fines and other legal debts.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content?Jan. 28, 2020, at 1:19 a.m.

BY BOBBY CAINA CALVAN

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Lawyers for the electoral battleground state of Florida are asking a U.S. appellate court to set aside a ruling that let some impoverished felons regain access to the ballot box, despite owing fines and other legal debts.

Florida Republicans, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, argue that only felons who have completed all conditions of their sentences should be allowed to vote. He and GOP lawmakers say that to regain the right to vote, felons must not only serve their time but also pay all fines and other legal financial obligations.

The case before the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday could be consequential because of the razor-thin margins that sometimes decide election contests in Florida — a perennial battleground state.

“This Court’s answer to that question will have far reaching effects, as it will determine whether the State must comply with the court’s injunction in upcoming elections of national, state, and local significance in 2020,” Florida's brief says.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2020-01-28/appellate-court-weighs-florida-law-on-felon-voting-rights