VANITY: Do you think felons should be allowed to vote?

me

[yonif]

A friend of mine was wondering about this topic and discussed it with me.

Do you think felons (those in jail and those who are "reformed") should be allowed to vote (not felons convicted of voter relating crime)?

There are those countries, such as Israel, which allow felons to vote (both in and out of prison, as long as they were not convicted of voter related crimes).

What do you think? Why is it a good or bad idea?

[Dec31,1999]

The worst avenue is to create a two-tier society. If one is a citizen and not allowed to vote, or own firearms, one should be in jail. We either believe in redemption, or we don't. If we don't, we shouldn't be letting criminals roam the streets.

[Melas]

You're incorrect, felons are only denied the voting franchise in a handful of states. Another handful lets them vote while serving their sentences.

It's a myth that felons are denied the right to vote in America, it's a state by state thing.

The vast majority of states eventually return the right to vote to the convicted felon. , Texas, my state: In Texas, the right to vote is restored when a person is fully discharged from his or her sentence. This includes any term of parole, probation or supervision. Convicted persons may also regain their voting rights if they have been granted a gubernatorial pardon or release from the resulting disability to vote. I was mistaken earlier when I tacked an additional two years onto that.

Alabama and 4 or 5 other states totally deny felons the right to vote unless pardoned. This is pretty much on the extreme end as states go.

Vermont is at the other end of the spectrum with the following: If you are a resident of Vermont, you can vote even while you are incarcerated. To vote, you must utilize Vermont's absentee ballot procedures. If you are a resident of another state who is temporarily incarcerated in Vermont, you may be able to vote an absentee ballot in your home state. You need to consult the law of your home state regarding both criminal convictions and absentee ballots to see if this is a possibility.

[TJFLSTRAT]

You see, it's like this, losing your rights is a disincentive, to committing more crimes. Now was'nt that easy?

[BeerSwillr]

This whole thread is full of pointless sputtering. The topic of conversation is moot. The farthest thing from any convicts mind is voting.

An overwhelming majority of normal everyday people across this wodnerful nation abrogate their rights to vote each and every year by not getting up off their fat asses and trundling over to the polls.

Felons voting. Get real. Sheesh!

[Skywalk]

I'd wager that most of those called "felons" are not murderers, rapists or robbers. You forget there is a new class of laws in this country that can even label some bad checks as a felony. Does that person, after serving their time, not deserve the right to vote or to self-defense in the form of firearms?

[cadre]

I can't think of a reason why any adult citizen should ever be denied the right to vote.

How about insanity or incompetence?

[cadre]

You forget there is a new class of laws in this country that can even label some bad checks as a felony. Does that person, after serving their time, not deserve the right to vote or to self-defense in the form of firearms?

Make the bad check writer pay restitution to his victims before restoring his rights.

[ExSoldier]

"If one is a citizen and not allowed to vote, or own firearms, one should be in jail. We either believe in redemption, or we don't."

Okay, time to wake up and live in the real world. I used to be a State of Florida Probation and Parole Officer in the 1980's. Back then we poor officers had to supervise dangerous felons on the streets with caseloads of up to 300 bad guys. That was THEN. It's much worse now. When I worked for the dept, I was given the most dangerous of the bunch due to my military (Infantry Captain) background. My bosses authorized me to go armed even though at the time it was legal, but against dept policy. since there was no policy to follow, I chose to be armed with what I carried as a sidearm in the military...a Colt 45. THAT made a definite impression on my "clients!" LOL

You think you can spot a dangerous felon by sight? Guess again. They sit next to you in church, shop beside you in the grocery store and bump into you by accident on the street corners. The only reason they're not in jail is simple: jail overcrowding forces the system to release dangerous felons into the population in huge batches to make room for more inprocessing into the correctional system. And thus, I happen to agree with the policy of not giving them access to firearms legally. If they possess one in violation of law we can use that to violate the provisions of their parole, and put them back where they belong. I'm in favor of revoking the citizenship of violent felons but which country would take them, Somalia? Hey...that's not a bad idea.

[A. Pole]

How about insanity or incompetence?

I don't know. Majority of people have IQ lower than 101 by definition and some insane people are intelligent.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> insanity or incompetence?

What about it? There is quite a lot of activism in the "developmentally disabled" and "mentally ill" communities hereabouts. They can and do vote.

[Arpege92]

"Does that person, after serving their time, not deserve the right to vote or to self-defense in the form of firearms."

Absolutely, a person who comits a felony should not vote.

"You forget there is a new class of laws in this country that can even label some bad checks as a felony."

Depends on the amount of the check....bad checks are no different than stealing and this always falls back on the rest of us.

Firearms for convicted felons....to be quite honest, I'm not really sure.

[Prime Choice]

Then keep them in jail longer.

You want more of your tax dollars spent to make sure they can suck even more resources out of society? Be my guest, but count me out.

[Arpege92]

"Where did I say that people in jail should be allowed to vote?"

You didn't and neither did I....I was talking about those felons who are released from prison.

[Prime Choice]

Oh, so someone gets caught and you can lay your sins on him. How hypocritical.

Naturally, you are all purity and innocence. That would explain your saccharine smarm and your petulant sanctimony.

Bored now.

[Prime Choice]

Before felons should even be considered for restored voting privileges, they should be responsible for compensating the victims of their crimes. A violent felon faced with reimbursing a victim for medical bills, lost income due to disability, and pain and suffering may start to understand the misery he has caused. Murderers can wait for the afterlife to vote again.

Well said. Sounds like a plan.

[Arpege92]

"The question is, should a robber, rapist, or murderer who is a risk to continue violence be released to begin with. Some people just can't be returned to society."

Ok....so you are saying that a person who comits rape, robbery, or murder has served their time, are then released back into society should be able to vote? Wouldn't that allow the likes like Mike Tyson who was convicted of rape, served his time should be able to vote.

[ExSoldier]

"I'd wager that most of those called "felons" are not murderers, rapists or robbers."

I submit that any felon has proven to society that they possess a character flaw which should preclude them from full participation in the process of democracy. But if it pleases you, let's differentiate between nonviolent offenders and violent ones.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Note that such persons are not, however, prohibited from working in political campaigns. Effective campaigns can swing a lot more votes than the campaign workers would cast themselves.

[SJSAMPLE]

Convicts. Inmates. Offender was just the word my on-board thesaurus came up with that moment.

My point is that minor offenses, which have been criminalized as felonies, can send someone to a hole where any hope of rehabilitation is eliminated.

[Arpege92]

"The farthest thing from any convicts mind is voting."


I agree, but I wouldn't put anything past the Demoncrats. They'd promise anything to a convicted felon if he/she will vote for them.