Felony Disenfranchisement

Colorado: Governor, Secretary of State Oppose Parolee Voting Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat and former prosecutor, said he will veto the state's election law bill, SB 83, if supporters insist on putting parolee voting back in it. In late April, the House of Representatives rejected a provision that would have given individuals on parole the right to vote. Secretary of State Mike Coffman said the provision violated the state's constitution, according to the Denver Post. Texas: 'A Step in the Right Direction' The Daily Texan, a University of Texas at Austin student publication, published an opinion editorial in favor of restoring the voting rights of individuals charged with a non-violent offense. Texas restores voting rights after completion of sentence and parole or probation. The piece comes on the heels of proposed legislation, HB 770, to notify formerly incarcerated individuals of their voting status. The editorial stated that petty acts should be treated as such, and individuals would benefit more from treatment, and should not lose their voting rights as a result. "Thousands of acts carry felony charges, including stealing cable service and electrocuting fish," the editorial stated. "In Texas, there are 550,000 felons in prison and nearly 440,000 on probation. For many of them, the power of a ballot in their hand could far outweigh the seriousness of their crime."

Virginia: Let’s Follow in Their Footsteps … and Theirs, Too The Daily Press published an editorial expressing the need for Virginia to follow in the footsteps of Florida and Maryland by reforming their disenfranchisement laws. Current Virginia law permanently disenfranchises all individuals upon conviction of a felony. "They can ask to have their rights restored once they've completed their sentences, but the process is onerous, mean- spirited and uncertain. The result: More than 240,000 Virginians are deprived of the right to vote," the Press stated.

Maryland: Governor Signs Legislation Restoring Right to Vote On Tuesday, Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation restoring the right to vote to all formerly incarcerated individuals, ending the state's draconian lifetime voting ban. Coverage featuring the news included an "above-the-fold" front-page article in the Baltimore Sun. As a result of the legislation, which takes effect July 1, more than 50,000 Marylanders will be eligible to vote. Currently, those individuals convicted of two felonies can petition for vote restoration after their sentences and a three-year waiting period are completed. If both convictions are for violent offenses, the voting ban is permanent.

Florida: Making Up for Lost Time; Still Some Work to Do When he served as attorney general, Governor Charlie Crist investigated the murder of a Florida civil rights activist and his wife whose home was bombed as a result of their work in registering black voters in the 1950s. Though Crist was unable to bring justice to the case, according to the Florida Times-Union he has followed in the late activist's footsteps in reforming a 138-year-old policy that banned voting rights for ex-offenders. "That law, which was passed in 1868 and re-enacted 100 years later, had racist origins. Enacted after the Civil War, it bolstered the 'black codes,' which called for harsh punishments for vagrancy and other minor transgressions that newly freed slaves were likely to get caught up in," writes columnist Tonyaa Weathersbee.

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Maryland: State Awaits Governor's Signature on Disenfranchisement Bill Formerly incarcerated individuals are expected to be able to vote again as a disenfranchisement reform bill awaits Governor Martin O’Malley’s approval, according to the Washington Post. The bill would repeal the three-year waiting period and lifetime voting ban on certain people with felony convictions under current Maryland law. The bill was approved by both the House and Senate after advocates and organizations rallied behind the legislation, according to the Baltimore Times. For additional coverage, see the Baltimore Sun and WJZ-AM.

Maryland: Voting Rights Legislation Cross Filed in House, Senate SB 448 and HB 554 are presently in committee as numerous advocates for felony disenfranchisement reform in Maryland gave testimony to House and Senate members earlier this month, according to the Baltimore Times. Kimberly Haven, Executive Director of Justice Maryland, who also gave testimony said: “This legislation will clarify the efforts of the 2002 legislation, by removing the three-year disenfranchisement period that currently exists. This three-year wait period serves no practical purpose.”

Washington State: Legislation Aimed at Reintegration Includes Speedy Vote Restoration The Washington Senate approved a bill which is expected to speed up the process of restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. The State Senate approved prison reforms last week in an effort to better prepare incarcerated individuals to reintegrate into society.

National: The Cause and Effect of Disenfranchisement; Sen. Clinton Sponsors Disenfranchisement Legislation As a consequence of the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s 1974 decision in Richardson v. Ramirez, five million Americans cannot vote as a result of a criminal conviction, states a Legal Times article written by Frank Askin. The decision, based on what Askin terms a "cynical sleight of hand" by Rehnquist, was based on a contentious interpretation of Section 2 of the 14th Amendment.

[From our friends at The Sentencing Project] Florida: Continued Debate on Restoring the Vote Gov. Charlie Crist postponed a vote this week that would have allowed most formerly incarcerated individuals voting rights upon completion of sentence. The Florida Board of Executive Clemency was expected to vote in favor of the long-awaited change, but Crist did not want to isolate fellow Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum as the lone vote, according to the Miami Herald. “Obviously, I favor the restoration of civil rights and I am optimistic we will be able to get to that point, but I want to build a consensus before we go there,” said Crist following the state clemency board meeting.