Ross Said:

Why have Clinton and other democrats lobbied for voting rights for convicted felons?

We Answered:

If this is true, it sounds about right. They tried to stop the soldiers from voting in 04. I just can't side with a party that evil dictators around the world want to have run the US.

Jerome Said:

should convicted felons lose their voting rights for good?

We Answered:

Absolutely.

Sam Said:

Is there a law suit pending to help felons that work get their voting rights back?

We Answered:

In certain states there is a form you fill out to send to the governor of that state to ask to reinstate your right to vote. I know KY is one but other states you have to go before a Clemency board. I found this article:

State-by-state look at the voting restoration process for felons
By The Associated Press | April 1, 2006

Every state has a different process for restoring voting rights to ex-felons. An estimated 5.3 million people nationwide are ineligible to vote because of a felony conviction, according to The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C.

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Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts VOTING RIGHTS NOT TAKEN AWAY (PRISONERS MAY VOTE):

--Maine

--Vermont

VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON:

--District of Columbia

--Hawaii

--Illinois

--Indiana

--Massachusetts: Up until 2000, the state allowed inmates to vote. The state's voters passed a constitutional amendment that instead allows voting rights to be restored after release from prison.

--Michigan

--Montana

--New Hampshire

--North Dakota

--Ohio

--Oregon

--Pennsylvania

--Utah

VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON AND COMPLETION OF PAROLE:

--California

--Colorado

--Connecticut: In 2001, Former Gov. John G. Rowland signed into law a bill extending voting rights to felons on probation.

--New York

--South Dakota

VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED AFTER COMPLETION OF PRISON, PAROLE AND PROBATION:

--Alaska

--Arkansas

--Georgia

--Idaho

--Iowa: In an executive order last year, Gov. Tom Vilsack granted automatic restoration of voting rights to convicted felons who have completed their sentences, probation or parole. It affected about 30,000 convicted felons. Until then, felons had to appeal individually for clemency, a lengthy and complex process that required investigation by the parole board and a review by the governor.

--Kansas: In 2002, the Legislature added probationers to the category of felons ineligible to vote.

--Louisiana

--Minnesota

--Missouri

--Nebraska: Last year, the Legislature repealed the lifetime ban on all felons and replaced it with a two-year post-sentence ban. Gov. Dave Heineman's veto was overridden by the Legislature.

--New Jersey

--New Mexico: In 2001, the Legislature repealed the state's lifetime ban on ex-felon voting. Last year, lawmakers required the Department of Corrections to provide notification of completion of sentence to the secretary of state's office.

--North Carolina

--Oklahoma

--Rhode Island: Under a measure being considered by the General Assembly, voters in Rhode Island could decide this year whether the state constitution should be amended to allow convicted felons to vote once they are released from prison.

--South Carolina

--Texas

--Washington: A King County Superior judge ruled last month that felons who completed their sentence but have not paid back outstanding fines cannot be denied the right to vote. The state says it will appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

--West Virginia

--Wisconsin

VOTING RIGHTS FOR SOME FELONY CONVICTIONS ONLY RESTOREDON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS

--Alabama: In 2003, Gov. Bob Riley signed a law that permits most felons to apply for a certificate of eligibility to register to vote after completing their sentence.

--Arizona: Two-time ex-felons must wait two years before applying for a certificate of discharge. First-time felons are automatically restored rights after completing prison, probation and parole.

--Delaware: In 2000, the General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to some ex-felons five years after the completion of their sentence.

--Maryland: In 2002, the Legislature repealed its lifetime ban on two-time ex-felons, with the exception of felons with two violent convictions, and imposed a three-year waiting period after completion of sentence before rights can be restored.

--Mississippi

--Nevada: In 2003, the state approved a provision to automatically restore voting rights for first-time nonviolent felons immediately after completion of sentence.

--Tennessee

--Wyoming: In 2003, Gov. Dave Freudenthal signed into law bill allowing people convicted of a nonviolent first-time felony to apply for restoration of voting rights five years after completion of sentence.

VOTING RIGHTS DENIED TO ALL WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS, UNLESS GOVERNMENT APPROVES INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS RESTORATION:

--Florida

--Kentucky: In 2001, The Legislature passed a bill that requires the Department of Corrections to inform and aid eligible offenders in completing the restoration process to regain their voting rights.

--Virginia: Felons convicted of nonviolent offenses can apply for the restoration of their voting rights after three years; felons convicted of violent offenses must wait five years.

------

Source:

Right to Vote, The Sentencing Project

© Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Heidi Said:

VOTING RIGHTS OF EX FELONS....?

We Answered:

No. Untrustworthy subhumans like felons have no right to vote in this country.

Christina Said:

Convicted Felons denied voting rights????????

We Answered:

There are only a few states that permanently remove a convicted felon's right to vote. Many simply do not allow incarcerated felons to vote, but a few even allow that. The justification behind restricting a convicted felon's right to vote is that a felon broke the social contract (the laws) that govern this country and thus should not be allowed to help shape the laws they disregarded.,

My personal opinion is that voting rights should be suspending for convicted felons while in prison and for a period of years thereafter, and if they have indeed proven themselves contributing members of society, voting rights should again be granted. Temporary loss of voting rights seems to me to be a logical consequence for committing a crime, and while you may feel that your the grounds of your conviction were not legitimate, a felony is a felony.

Tom Said:

To reiterate the Voting rights of Felons ?..?

We Answered:

It depends what state you live in.

http://www.hrw.org/reports98/vote/usvot9…

Roberta Said:

why is the ACLU fighting for reinstating felons voting rights in florida?

We Answered:

Because the ACLU is a anti American group disguising themselves as civil right group.