Should Felons be Allowed to Vote? Florida to Have Referendum

[Des-Bal]

Can you source the claim felons skew Democrat?

The issue isn't "felons" so much as it is the groups that are overrepresented as felons. Just like with voter id laws it's not so much people without ID's as it is the fact that the people without ID's tend to be minorities. Most of my experience with the issue is from the perspective of black voters being disenfranchised. I don't believe it's just black voters that can be worry about it's definitely one of the biggies.
So first of all black people like voting democrat. 86% lean or identify as democrat.

Now unfortunately for people who very much like winning elections you can't just say "no blacks" so instead you find a category that black people disproportionately belong to and restrict that category.

The group "felons" overlaps more with black than white voters. By suspending voting rights and making it harder to get them reinstated Florida has successfully disenfranchised almost a quarter of black adults

[Kaschuct]

To be honest, yes. Now, I personally know quite a few people with felonies, and they were all fine and decent people. Just made some bad mistakes in the past and trying to be better.

Now, if this post angers anybody for any particular reason, well, sorry 'bout that, but that's your problem.

[Nioya]

Oddly enough the first time I ever heard about politics was when I was, I believe 7? The school had us do a little voting thing, and I had to choose between bush and carry. I chose carry because I thought we might as well change candidates now that we have the chance; my small child brain thought we should change politicians after one term. Then my mom told me to vote for carry because he said felons should be allowed to vote but bush didn’t.

I think the idea that felons can some how lose their rights as citizens is really fucked up. Punish a man, lock him, or kill, but don’t degrade him to being a foreign in his own country. Don’t take away his say in society when he is a member.

[Purpelia]

Indeed. I can understand removing the right to vote from some criminals, like say the really bad violent rapists, big money frauds, child molesters and that sort of people. You know, the kind you really don't want influencing your society. Also people that repeatedly refuse to vote. That kind should lose their rights. But you just do it for everyone which is indeed messed up.

[Exxosia]

I think if you are currently in prison, you should not be allowed to vote as it would create warped voting blocks in areas with prisons and that prisoners could easily be forced to vote along certain lines by COs or others.

Once released however, they should be allowed to vote as it would be their right.

[Katganistan]

No one is saying that everyone should be absolved; there's a prohibition against murderers and sex offenders in the bill.

Would you like to be judged for one mistake you made for life? Would it be fair for people to bring it up thirty years later? "Oh yes, Telconi -- they don't deserve to have a job because they were an underage video game enthusiast. They played AO games when they shouldn't have been able to!"

Some mistakes are worth permanent consequences.

You're not actually arguing against the Florida bill then. It stipulates that murderers and sex offenders should not get to vote again.

Unless you're asserting that anyone who has ever been in jail for any crime should never vote again?

[The Greater Ohio Valley]

If they served their time and have been deemed rehabilitated then yes.

voting is a privilege not a right

If you say so.

[Ifreann]

Why? Is being locked in prison and denied a vote going to rehabilitate people where only being locked in prison wouldn't?

*shrugs* How is voting in prison going to rehabilitate them?

It probably isn't. But people have the right to vote before they're convicted. If it isn't going to help society to take their right to vote away then I don't see why we should. Seems obvious to me that we should try to minimise the loss of rights for people we send to prison.

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I think if you are currently in prison, you should not be allowed to vote as it would create warped voting blocks in areas with prisons and that prisoners could easily be forced to vote along certain lines by COs or others.

Once released however, they should be allowed to vote as it would be their right.

How do prisoners get forced to vote a specific way when it's a secret ballot?

[Luziyca]

I support it: the only instances where felons should not allowed to vote is if they have committed electoral fraud.

[Big Jim P]

Anyone who has served their time should NOT have their rights (any rights) denied. It's wrong to continue to punish them beyond their sentence.

[Big Jim P]

I support it: the only instances where felons should not allowed to vote is if they have committed electoral fraud.

Agreed, with the exception of those still serving their sentence (including those on probation etc). While serving their sentence they should lose their voting rights.

[Ifreann]

I support it: the only instances where felons should not allowed to vote is if they have committed electoral fraud.

Agreed, with the exception of those still serving their sentence (including those on probation etc). While serving their sentence they should lose their voting rights.

Why?

[Proctopeo]

Agreed, with the exception of those still serving their sentence (including those on probation etc). While serving their sentence they should lose their voting rights.

Why?

They're still paying their debt to society, and must wait to actually contribute again.

[Ifreann]

Why?

They're still paying their debt to society, and must wait to actually contribute again.

Why should paying their debt to society entail losing the right to vote? Doesn't seem to me to accomplish anything.

[Minoa]

Nobody should have their voting rights restricted (except for anyone under 18) tbh.

The only other exception should be those convicted of electoral fraud and corruption in elections, but such bans under those circumstances are not permanent here in the UK.

[Proctopeo]

They're still paying their debt to society, and must wait to actually contribute again.

Why should paying their debt to society entail losing the right to vote? Doesn't seem to me to accomplish anything.

Is voting not part of contributing to society?

[Alvecia]

Why should paying their debt to society entail losing the right to vote? Doesn't seem to me to accomplish anything.

Is voting not part of contributing to society?

Having people pay their debt to society by preventing them from contributing to society seems counter productive

[Ifreann]

Why should paying their debt to society entail losing the right to vote? Doesn't seem to me to accomplish anything.

Is voting not part of contributing to society?

Sure, you could call it that. What does it matter?

[Neutraligon]

Truth be told there is only one crime I can think of that I think should remove the right to vote and that is voter fraud of some type or another.

[San Lumen]

Indeed. I can understand removing the right to vote from some criminals, like say the really bad violent rapists, big money frauds, child molesters and that sort of people. You know, the kind you really don't want influencing your society. Also people that repeatedly refuse to vote. That kind should lose their rights. But you just do it for everyone which is indeed messed up.

People who dont vote shouldnt be denied the right to vote in the future.

[San Lumen]

Im truly sorry to hear that. Voting isn't a ritual its a right.

except it doesn't do anything, we are ruled by capitalist overlords pulling the strings regardless; and from an individual point of view one vote doesn't do anything

Im truly sorry every election doesn't come to one vote. But if over one million people had their voting rights restored it would have massive effect on statewide elections in the state. Im sorry you can't see that no matter how many different ways its explained to you.

[Des-Bal]

I think if you are currently in prison, you should not be allowed to vote as it would create warped voting blocks in areas with prisons and that prisoners could easily be forced to vote along certain lines by COs or others.

Once released however, they should be allowed to vote as it would be their right.

"We can't let you vote, we're protecting the integrity of your vote."

except it doesn't do anything, we are ruled by capitalist overlords pulling the strings regardless; and from an individual point of view one vote doesn't do anything

Your capitalist overlords giggle behind their hands at the vast numbers of people who think they've outsmarted them by not voting.

[San Lumen]

I think if you are currently in prison, you should not be allowed to vote as it would create warped voting blocks in areas with prisons and that prisoners could easily be forced to vote along certain lines by COs or others.

Once released however, they should be allowed to vote as it would be their right.

"We can't let you vote, we're protecting the integrity of your vote."

except it doesn't do anything, we are ruled by capitalist overlords pulling the strings regardless; and from an individual point of view one vote doesn't do anything

Your capitalist overlords giggle behind their hands at the vast numbers of people who think they've outsmarted them by not voting.

IM will never understand that. They will just come up with another ridiculous response as to how voting is pointless and therefore this referendum is pointless

[USS Monitor]

Oddly enough the first time I ever heard about politics was when I was, I believe 7? The school had us do a little voting thing, and I had to choose between bush and carry. I chose carry because I thought we might as well change candidates now that we have the chance; my small child brain thought we should change politicians after one term. Then my mom told me to vote for carry because he said felons should be allowed to vote but bush didn’t.

I think the idea that felons can some how lose their rights as citizens is really fucked up. Punish a man, lock him, or kill, but don’t degrade him to being a foreign in his own country. Don’t take away his say in society when he is a member.

I think you mean John Kerry, not Carry. He is the personification of Massachusettan stodginess, but you, me, and him can agree that felons are still members of our society.

[Insaeldor]

Civic involvement is a key part of reintegration into general society, voting is an important part of this and allows someone to feel invested in their community. Your constitutional rights should not be withheld after you've already served your sentence and it is wrong to withhold those rights.