skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

ACLU: Florida Clemency System Denies Hundreds of Thousands Right to Vote

play audio
Play

Friday, March 13, 2009   

As the Governor met with the clemency board to restore voting rights to some people released from prison, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition held rallies, screened movies and gave speeches across the state to bring attention to a system they say is denying many Floridians the right to vote. A new report released by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU), which is part of the coalition, found that the system is bogged down in bureaucracy, confusion, and backlog.

Muslima Lewis, the report's author, says more than half of the election officials surveyed do not understand who is eligible or the rules for voter restoration. Most other states provide automatic restoration of voting rights upon release, but in Florida they must first make restitution and then apply; a process that often takes years, she says.

"It is a crisis when hundreds of thousands of Florida citizens, who have completed their sentence, are locked out of the voting process. It is the unfinished business of the civil rights movement."

All Florida citizens deserve to have their voices heard, once they’ve paid their debt to society, says Lewis.

"Democracy is strengthened by expanding the vote to include all eligible citizens, and that eligibility should not be restricted."

Governor Crist issued an executive order in 2007 that made it easier for non-violent offenders to have their rights restored. Since then, 138,000 people have been returned to the voter rolls compared to 83,000 during the previous 12 years.

Kevin Aplin, vice president of the ACLU's Brevard Chapter, says that is not enough. Their report recommends making restoration of voting rights automatic, instead of conditional, and allowing people to immediately qualify for occupational licenses to work.

"Having somebody prevented from seeking employment, and delaying their right to vote causes them to be unable to support their family or feel like a whole member of the community. That increases the likelihood they might re-offend."

The Governor and the Clemency Board could vote to make voting rights restoration automatic immediately, or the legislature could vote on a constitutional amendment.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021