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Felony disenfranchisement in Florida is currently a contentious political issue in Florida. Though the general principle of felony disenfranchisement is not in dispute,[citation needed] the disenfranchisement of people who had been convicted of a felony and have served their sentence — that includes prison, bail and parole — but continue being barred from voting if they have outstanding fines, fees or restitution obligations is in contention. Prior to January 8, 2019, when Amendment 4 came into effect, people convicted of a felony effectively lost their right to vote for life, as it could only be restored by the governor as an act of clemency, which rarely occurred.[1] Florida was one of four states with a lifetime ban, the others being Iowa, Kentucky and Virginia.[2]
On November 6, 2018, 65% of Florida voters approved Amendment 4, which automatically restores the voting rights of people convicted of a felony—except murder or sexual offenses[3]—after the completion of their sentences.[4][5] In July 2019, however, Republicans in Florida's state legislature enacted Senate bill 7066, which requires ex-felons (who have served their sentences) to pay off all outstanding fines, fees, and restitutions before regaining their right to vote.[6] This law disenfranchised around 774,000 people because of outstanding financial obligations. In May 2020, a federal district court judge found that SB7066 was unconstitutional for those unable to pay, or unable to find out how much they owe,[7] a ruling overturned in September 2020 on appeal.[8] In Florida about 1.6 million people are disenfranchised because of a current or previous felony conviction, over 10% of the voting age citizens, including the 774,000 disenfranchised only because of outstanding financial obligations. Many of these disenfranchised felons are African Americans and presumed, if they were to vote, to be Democratic voters.[9] In late September 2020, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition paid the outstanding fines and fees of around 32,000 felons in Florida to enable them to vote in the 2020 elections.[10]
actual class of crimes that results indisenfranchisement vary between jurisdictions, but most commonly classed as felonies, or may be based on a certain period...
Contract Justify FelonyDisenfranchisement?", 1 Wash. U. Jur. Rev. 193 (2009). "LOSING THE VOTE: The Impact of FelonyDisenfranchisement Laws in the United...
voting rights to people with prior felony convictions who lost their voting rights under felonydisenfranchisement. It may also refer to additional civil...
classified as a forcible felonyin some jurisdictions including Illinois and Florida. "The common law divided participants in a felony into four basic categories:...
their fines. In 2016, 6.1 million adults in the United States could not vote due to felonydisenfranchisement laws. Prior to 2018, Florida was one of four...
participating. In that election, George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes, however 31% of Black Floridians were denied the vote due to disenfranchisement. Given...
disenfranchised compared to 1.8% of non-African-Americans. FelonydisenfranchisementinFlorida disqualifies over 10% of its citizens for life and over 23%...
candidates for the all-decisive Florida electoral votes that landed Bush the election win. Florida'sfelonydisenfranchisement law is more severe than most...
Act of 1960 Felonydisenfranchisementin the United States List of suffragists and suffragettes Lodge Bill Timeline of women's suffrage in the United States...
Florida previously had rigorous felonydisenfranchisement laws that denied approximately 400,000 people the privilege of voting In 2007, at the urging of Gov...
disenfranchised compared to 1.8% of non-African Americans. FelonydisenfranchisementinFlorida disqualifies over 10% of its citizens for life and over 23%...
chaired by American University law professor Cynthia E. Jones. Felonydisenfranchisementin the United States "Coalition for Public Safety". "Testimony of...
felony, be qualified to vote at any election unless restored to civil rights." The plaintiffs brought suits challenging Arizona's disenfranchisement scheme...
Movement during the 1960s. The article states the constitutional felonydisenfranchisement clause "takes away — for life — the right to vote upon conviction...
of a prior felony conviction; in certain states – Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi – disenfranchisement rates for African American males in the 2000 election...
spokespersons and leaders in the felonydisenfranchisement, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative. Born inFlorida, Jifunza, whose birth name...
disenfranchisement is the prevention by bureaucratic, institutional and social barriers, of transgender individuals from voting or participating in other...
[citation needed] He also dismissed challenges to Florida'sfelonydisenfranchisement law and Florida's prohibition against homosexual adoption.[citation...
nation. Hair fought against the disenfranchisement of African-American voters during the 2000 presidential election inFlorida, investigating black voters...
Elections or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, erroneously received a form letter referencing a prior felony conviction from the Florida Department...
enfranchisement and disenfranchisement of different groups, has been a moral and political issue throughout United States history. Eligibility to vote in the United...
Cases: the 1990s, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky. FelonyDisenfranchisementin Kentucky Archived 2007-07-27 at the Wayback Machine, League of...
voting rights to anyone with a felony record. Because felon disenfranchisement is part of Florida's Constitution, which requires a 60% vote to modify, many...
accessed March 23, 2016 Brent Staples, "Florida Leads the Pack – in Felon Disenfranchisement", New York Times, November 7, 2014, accessed March 23, 2016 Freeman...
May 10, 2022. Provisional Voting: Fail-Safe Voting or Trapdoor to Disenfranchisement Archived 2008-10-22 at the Wayback Machine, Advancement Project, Sept...
states around the U.S. 78% of respondents in one preferred vote-by-mail to voting in-person. The disenfranchisement of voters due to age, citizenship, or...
other crime" has been invoked as a constitutional ground for felonydisenfranchisement. It was held, under Trump v. Anderson (2024), that only the federal...
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