Federal Judge Declares GOP 'Poll Tax' Unconstitutional, Says State Can't Restrict Right to Vote Base
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Source: Law & Crime
A federal court in Florida has ruled that it is unconstitutional to deny individuals with prior felony convictions the right to vote based on their inability to pay fees and fines. Fridays decision restores the right to vote for plaintiffs who otherwise would be eligible to vote in Florida but who simply cannot afford to pay off their outstanding fines, fees and restitution.
The 55-page opinion by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle is a victory for voting rights advocates and Civil Rights advocates who argued that Florida Republicans had essentially re-instituted a poll tax on the right to vote in the Sunshine State.
The mood among pro-democracy advocates was jubilant just after the 2018 midterm elections when Floridas electorate overwhelmingly chose to allow formerly incarcerated individuals their right to vote. Some 65 percent of Floridians voted in favor of re-extending the franchise. The passage of Amendment 4 would have allowed 1.5 million previously disenfranchised Floridians the right to vote.
In sum, the popular measure affected roughly seven percent of Floridas entire populationbut disproportionately impacted the states African-American community for the better. Under the prior, 150-year-old system of disenfranchisement, nearly 20 percent of Floridas black population was denied the right to vote.
Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/civil-rights/federal-judge-declares-gop-poll-tax-unconstitutional-says-state-cant-restrict-right-to-vote-based-on-ability-to-pay/
truthisfreedom
(23,113 posts)Society, you should be free to vote. Not once youve paid your fines.
TryLogic
(1,721 posts)groundloop
(11,486 posts)warmfeet
(3,321 posts)They value power and control at any cost. People I associate with know this.
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)older thread here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142383451
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