To: JDN who wrote (1347 ) 5/7/2004 6:46:35 AM From: Glenn Petersen Read Replies (1) | Respond to That was also my understanding when I was growing up. It seems that the rules vary from state to state. Most definitely a State's Rights issue. According to this article, which is about four years old, three states actually let felons vote while they are incarcerated.speakout.com Should Convicted Felons Have Voting Rights? With the exceptions of Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, the remaining 46 states and the District of Columbia prohibit inmates serving felony convictions from voting in any public elections. While a majority of states restore voting rights to convicted felons after they complete their prison terms or probation periods, at least ten states, including Virginia, Delaware and New Mexico permanently prohibit former felons from voting. The Fourteenth Amendment clearly demonstrates that the states have the Constitutional authority to disenfranchise both currently incarcerated and former felons for as long as they deem fit. In limiting the freedoms of convicted felons, incarceration is designed to punish inmates and impress upon them the magnitude of their crimes. As a privilege to be enjoyed by law-abiding citizens, prohibiting inmates from voting further drives this point home. Prohibiting former felons from voting for life ensures the integrity of the electoral process, especially in states and jurisdictions where the populace directly elects judges, law enforcement officers and district attorneys.
