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Politics : The Castle -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (4462)	2/19/2005 12:30:12 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 7936

I'm not really sure what I think about it. I hadn't considered the administrative costs but I don't think that would be the main factor even after considering it. From a practical viewpoint you might not only consider the administrative costs but also the fact that we might improve the voting pool by eliminating felons. But on the other hand I think that people in general should have a right to vote for the people who enact the rules that they will have to live under. Its one thing to restrict voting for a time (like when someone is still serving their sentence or until they turn 18), but to not allow someone to ever vote again for a minor non-violent felony when they are 18 strikes me as wrong. I've heard one argument that it would require a constitutional amendment to allow felons to vote. But I can't think of what part of the constitution says that felons can't vote. A quick google search came up with links like this - constitutioncenter.org - Apparently the constitution doesn't say felons can't vote but it gives the power to decide who can vote to the states. Some states do allow felons to vote. From that link - * Only two New England states—Maine and Vermont—allow all felons to vote. * Twenty-eight states prohibit felons who are on probation from voting. * Thirty-two states prohibit felons who are on parole from voting. * The states that prohibit felons who have served their complete sentences from voting are hardly the old Confederacy: Only five of the thirteen states fall in that category. * Conversely, of the old Confederacy, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia all allow some felons to vote. So apparently only 13 states bar felons from voting for life, and if those felons moved to a different state they could vote at least if there wasn't any restriction on them moving and they were not on probation or parole. I guess after the complete sentence is server (including any probation or parole) I would support felons being able to vote. But I would not support Hillary's proposal. When you combine practical considerations with constitutional issues and federalism I wouldn't support a federal mandate that all states have to allow any felons to vote. Tim