Free Republic

RALEIGH, N.C. — Tens of thousands of people serving punishments for felony convictions in North Carolina but who aren’t behind bars can now register to vote and cast ballots this fall after an appeals court ruling. Expanding the scope of those able to register and vote began Wednesday, the State Board of Elections said — the day after local elections were held in more than a dozen localities. The change proceeds from litigation challenging a 1973 law that prevents someone convicted of a felony from having voting rights restored while they are still on probation, parole or post-release supervision. More...

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) argued Monday that all prisoners, including domestic terrorists like the Boston Marathon bomber, should have the right to vote while they are incarcerated. Speaking at a CNN town hall, Sanders was asked if he believes the right to vote should extend to serious criminals, such as Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is in prison and has been sentenced to death. “If somebody commits a serious crime, sexual assault, murder, they’re going to be punished,” Sanders said. “They may be in jail 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole life. That’s what happens when...

During Tuesday’s election in Virginia, Williams had originally planned to go and vote right at 6 a.m., but her ride was delayed a few hours. Williams, a former felon, lost her right to vote decades ago because she was convicted of a felony and Virginia bars felons from voting unless that right is restored by the governor. Williams, who is now back in school working to earn a degree that will help her become an auto-mechanic, said she was last in prison in 2014, but only recently had her voting rights restored by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). And so on...

Last week, Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia used his executive power to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 felons, circumventing the Republican-run Legislature and overturning a Civil War-era provision in the state's constitution aimed, he said, at disenfranchising black Americans. And why would he do something so radical? "People have served their time and done their probation," said McAuliffe. "I want you back in society. I want you feeling good about yourself. I want you voting, getting a job, paying taxes." And who would be against that? Well, Republicans in Virginia for starters. They accused McAuliffe, a Democrat, of...

Gov. Terry McAuliffe this morning will sign an order that effectively restores the civil rights, including the right to vote, of more than 200,000 felons in Virginia. The unprecedented move, expected to be announced at an 11 a.m. news conference on Capitol Square, marks a dramatic expansion of policy in restoring the right to vote, to sit on a jury, to serve in elected office or become a notary. Today's order applies to nonviolent and violent felons - a significant departure from a policy embraced in recent years by Democrat and Republican governors to remove the societal obstacles felons face...

Dear Supporter, We have a unique opportunity in Virginia. Governor Bob McDonnell is currently considering which felonies should be categorized as “non-violent” for the purpose of the new, more streamlined restoration of civil rights process that will go into effect as early as next week. Right now, there are several felonies arbitrarily classified as “violent,” like breaking and entering or drug possession with intent to distribute. Those particular felonies disproportionately affect people of color and communities in poverty. We need your help. Will you take the time to email Governor Bob McDonnell and ask that he take the broadest approach...

Americans take the integrity of our elections for granted. Every citizen has an equal right to vote, and every vote cast is counted. Rubbish. The voter rolls of this country are stuffed with illegal aliens, felons and dead people, who not only vote, they vote overwhelmingly Democrat. Citizens in uniform serving overseas, who might vote Republican, are routinely denied the right to vote when ballots are mailed "too late" to be returned in time to count. When a Republican wins a close race, uncounted ballots are "found" in the backseat of a Democrat poll worker's car. American elections are getting...

Democrats in the Maryland legislature have passed a law that would add 150,000 convicted felons to voter rolls. The new rules would allow any convict who is not imprisoned or waiting to serve a prison sentence to cast a ballot. Similar legislation is being pushed in other states. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) have introduced federal legislation aimed at the same objective. The reason for Democrat enthusiasm for enfranchising convicts is explained by research conducted by Jeff Manza and Marcus Britton of Northwestern University and Christopher Uggen of the University of Minnesota. Their research found that Democrats...

The FDLE is investigating registrations submitted for six felons in a De Soto facility whose civil rights hadn't been restored. By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer Published September 16, 2004 In a small town like Arcadia, everyone knows each other's business. That's why Kelli Johnson, the assistant supervisor of elections in De Soto County, immediately recognized the address on some voter registration cards she got last month: 13613 S.E. Highway 70. It's home to the Florida Civil Commitment Center for sexual predators. "I'm not stupid," Johnson said. She reported the suspicious new voters, prompting an investigation by the Florida Department...