(FL) State scraps felon voter list

[The Animator]

State scraps felon voter list
Roster of `potential felons' is flawed, excludes most Hispanics, Florida says
By Bob Mahlburg
Tallahassee Bureau

July 11, 2004

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida elections officials decided Saturday to scrap a list of "potential felons" after discovering another flaw that could have proved politically explosive for a state trying to run an undisputed election.

The database, maligned for weeks by civil-rights advocates, was dumped because it shielded virtually all Hispanic felons from being purged from the voter rolls. The admission came on top of earlier errors, such as including thousands of people on the list who already had their rights restored.

The move was a major blow for state officials, including Secretary of State Glenda Hood, Florida's chief elections officer. The former Orlando mayor has stressed that confidence in the elections system is critical in the wake of the botched 2000 presidential balloting.

"It's a great day for democracy in Florida," said Jessie Allen, a lawyer with the Brennan Center for Justice, a group suing the state over the constitutionality of its felon-voting ban. "There have been numerous and massive problems with the list, and finally they had to realize this is not a fixable problem."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-asecfelons11071104jul11,0,5430536,print.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

[JohnLocke]

1. HUZZAH!

[leftyandproud]

2. this is great!

it should definately help us..

Florida is only one of ten states I believe that don't restore voting rights of people after they do their time.

I really hope dems will fight for felon voting rights across the country...just do it QUIETLY and our winning margin will grow a solid .5%, which is huge considering how close 2000 was.

[neoteric lefty]

3. One small step in the right direction

I am sorry, but we cannot have Jeb Bush in charge of our state any more. "It was a mistake" my ass! How can anyone look at this governor and still believe he is impartieal about our election process. They are all crooked as hell.

[KeepItReal]

4. I believe this as far as I can toss Jeb Bush...

Please believe folks are gonna show up at polling places and not be on "the list".

It happened to me right here in California...during Herr Grope-inator's election. (Record turnout and numerous polling place closures...Thanks Kevin Shelley; way to run an election...)