NEWS ON RESTORING RIGHTS
Federal Judge Finds Florida Process for Restoring Voting Rights Unconstitutional
February 2, 2018
A U.S. District Judge found that forcing felons to appeal to the governor to get their voting rights restored was a violation of the 1st and 14th Amendments. Notably, Alabama requires felons convicted of crimes of moral turpitude must apply to the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles (an agency under the supervision of the Alabama Governor) to restore their voting rights.
Florida Gets Amendment 4 to restore 1.5 million voting rights on the ballot in November 2018
January 23, 2018
With a collaborative effort, grassroots organizations including the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and Floridians for a Fair Democracy garnered over 1 million signatures to place the Amendment on the ballot. 60 percent of voters must vote for the Amendment to become law. The Amendment would state, "voting rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation," which excludes those convicted of murder or sex crimes (often under life supervision by the criminal justice system).
Poll Finds 63% of Americans Believe Voting Rights Should Be Restored After Release, 20% Disagree
March 21, 2018
A Huffington Post/YouGov poll found 63% of Americans believe voting rights should be restored after release. 53% in favor believe voting rights should be restored automatically, but 40% still believe there should be some form of process.