WaPo: Fla. Republicans make it harder for ex-felons to vote [View All]

[varkam]

The Washington Post
March 9, 2011
Peter Wallsten
Link

Florida Gov. Rick Scott and other Cabinet-level officials voted unanimously Wednesday to roll back state rules enacted four years ago that made it easier for many ex-felons to regain the right to vote.

Now, under the new rules, even nonviolent offenders would have to wait five years after the conclusion of their sentences to apply for the chance to have their civil rights restored.

The vote carries national political implications. Many GOP leaders never forgave then-Gov. Charlie Crist for his move to make civil rights restoration almost automatic for most ex-felons.

The 2007 rule change spurred more than 100,000 ex-felons to earn the ability to register to vote ahead of the 2008 election in which then-candidate Barack Obama swept Florida. Experts say many of those new voters were likely Democratic-leaning African Americans.

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I'd really love for someone to tell me what the justification for disenfranchisement is, other than pure voter suppression. I noticed in the article that they pay lip service to the idea of preventing voter fraud, but if you one has to wonder if even they believe their own swill or if they actually know they're full of it.