The Sentencing Project: Disenfranchisement News & Updates - 8/30/07

Arizona: Solicitor General Vows to Continue Disenfranchisement Arizona's top state lawyer is seeking to repress a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU in June challenging the state's voting ban, which denies the right to vote to citizens with two felony convictions or who have not paid financial penalties associated with a felony conviction. Solicitor General Mary O'Grady wants the state and assigned Judge Stephen McNamee to throw out the ACLU's case, according to the Arizona Daily Star. Approximately 176,000 Arizona residents are banned from voting. "That figure amounts to more than 4.3 percent of all voting-age Arizonans," said Alessandra Meetze, executive director of the Arizona chapter of the ACLU. Currently, Arizona automatically restores voting rights of individuals convicted of a single felony if they have paid all financial obligations. Australia: Landmark Decision Upholds 'Fundamental Human Right to Vote' In a landmark decision today, the Australian High Court struck down a blanket ban denying all incarcerated individuals the right to vote, according to the Australia-based Human Rights Resource Center. The Court found that legislation revoking voting rights promoted by the Howard Government last year was unlawful and unconstitutional. The Court, however, upheld the validity of the ban on those incarcerated three years or longer. The law was challenged in the High Court by Vickie Roach, an Aboriginal woman incarcerated in Melbourne. A press release from the Human Rights Law Resource Center states: "The decision of the High Court is a victory for representative democracy, accountable government, the rule of law and fundamental human rights. With Aboriginal Australians incarcerated at a rate of almost 13 times that of their fellow Australians, it is also a vindication of Aboriginal rights." - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information: Email: zjennings@sentencingproject.org [5], Web: http://www.sentencingproject.org [6]