Florida’s one of only four states that automatically strip people who’ve been convicted of felonies of their voting rights. Right now 1.4 million Floridians are being deprived of their right to vote on that basis alone. Their only recourse is securing an individual grant of clemency. The fight to end this policy has dragged on for years.
Although then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist “streamlined” the clemency process for nonviolent felonies back in 2007 or so, current Republican Gov. Rick Scott, now running for Senate against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, ended that policy. Worse, he invented even more stringent rules: Floridians have to wait at least five years after release or the end of parole or probation, whichever comes latest, to apply for re-enfranchisement.
But Floridians will have their chance to force major change this November.
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