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http://www.slate.com/id/2203348Sen. Ted Stevens was found guilty of seven felony counts on Monday for failing to disclose gifts and services he'd received while in office. Despite the conviction, he pledged to continue his campaign for re-election. As a convicted felon, will Stevens be able to vote for himself next Tuesday?
Yes. Alaska law states that convicted felons are barred from voting if their crime is one of "moral turpitude," which in Alaska includes a wide swath of illegal activities. "Receiving a bribe" is listed among them, although the state government set up a special review of the Stevens case. In a decision released Wednesday night, the Alaska Division of Elections announced that the senator's crimes were, in fact, of moral turpitude but that a guilty verdict wasn't enough to make him a convicted felon for purposes of voting. Until February, when he's sentenced—and thus "convicted," according to a more formal definition—he'll be able to exercise his right to vote. (Stevens' crimes of moral turpitude may also be grounds for disbarment in Alaska and the District of Columbia.)
Even if he weren't allowed to vote, Stevens would still be able to continue his Senate campaign. There's no law barring felons from the Senate, and he fits the only constitutional requirements for the position: He's an Alaskan resident over the age of 30 and has been a U.S. citizen for more than nine years. State law does stipulate that a candidate for the Senate must be a registered voter—and thus not a felon who committed acts of moral turpitude—when he files for the office. But Stevens had not yet been found guilty when he filed.:eyes:
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