Posted on 02/24/2003 5:03:18 AM PST by Sub-Driver
A bill in the State Assembly aimed at loosening voting requirements to allow convicted felons the right to vote is scheduled for a vote this afternoon. The bill, A-584, sponsored by Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Trenton, Gordon Johnson, D-Englewood, and Donald Tucker, D-Newark, would allow anybody in the state of New Jersey who is currently on parole or probation the right to enter a voting booth and cast a ballot, just like any law abiding citizen.
"It’s just bizarre. I just don’t understand where they’re coming from, other then the tune of politics in it," said Sen. Peter Inverso, R-Hamilton.
Currently, state law bars anyone convicted of a felony from voting until they have completed their parole or probation.
But not all Democrats are supporting the measure, including Robert Smith, D- Washington Twp., an attorney and Gary Guear, D-Hamilton, a retired Trenton Police Detective and former police union president.
I’m not supporting it for obvious reasons," Guear said. "I don’t believe they should be voting, but once they’ve completed their sentences and are once again eligible I don’t see a problem with any citizen casting a vote."
"My inclination is to say no," Robert Smith, D-Washington Twp., told the Gloucester County Times for yesterday’s editions. "It doesn’t make sense. If you’re in the custody of the state, there are some rights you give up." The Bill makes no difference between a convicted murderer, rapist, embezzler or a wife-beater-- all would be eligible to vote.
"We should be tough on crime and tough on criminals," George Geist, R-Gloucester Township told the Gloucester County Times for yesterday’s editions. "This bill is horrible. I think we should respect the law abiding and condemn the criminals."
Geist said he plans to filibuster the proposal this afternoon
The legislation would take the responsibility of distributing voter registration forms out of the hands of the Secretary of State and place the burden on the state’s Attorney General
The bill further mandates the Commissioner of Corrections, State Parole Officers and the chief probation officer in all 21 counties to distribute to every probation officer in that county office voter registration forms to solicit every probationer in the caseload.
The bill requires that every probation, parole or corrections officer would be required to ask if a probationer wanted to register to vote, and to assist that person in filling out the form. If the probationer declined to register, the probation officer would be required to get the probationer to fill out a declination form that would become a part of the probationer’s permanent file.
The bill would also require county election boards to provide voter registration assistance to anyone on parole, probation, and inmates nearing the completion of their sentence and set for release from prison.
Currently, New Jersey residents have few requirements to meet to be eligible to vote in an election.
A person must be registered with election officials and be a United States citizen at least 18 years old, who lived at his/her address for at least the last 30 days.
That’s it - nothing more, except that to vote in New Jersey you cannot be a convicted felon serving a prison sentence, on probation or on parole.
Assembly Republicans are steaming over the proposed legislation, after a press release from Assembly Speaker Albio Sires declaring the focus of this afternoon’s voting session will be on "Defending our families."
In a prepared statement from the Assembly Republican office asked, "Does this mean that Speaker Sires believes that by allowing to vote those felons who have committed violent crimes against their fellow citizens and our society as a whole, that we will be defending our families?"
"Certainly not the families of victims for whom this legislation is clearly a slap in the face," Assembly Republicans answered in their own statement.Do victims’ families really feel their rights are being defended by allowing the perpetrators of those crimes to decide who will make and enforce laws these criminals have already chosen to ignore?"
If the bill passes the Assembly today, it would move on to the Senate where a 20-20 split between Democrats and Republicans could bring closer scrutiny of the legislation.
"I’m not inclined to support this bill if it makes it the Senate," Inverso said
The bill is just one of nearly 4-dozen other bills that are being crammed into this afternoon’s voting session that will include several Bills to strengthen Megan’s Law in New Jersey sponsored by Guear and his 14th Legislative District partner Linda Greenstein, and a measure that would require all criminals to provide DNA samples.
Several area residents weighed in on the issue yesterday.
"I think we should be able to vote," said George Barry, a Trenton resident who admitted he has a conviction record. "My vote should count for something, I live in this country."
Barry said it’s unfair that some people who get convicted for smaller crimes get this right taken away from them
"Definitely," a state employee who declined to give his name answered when asked if he thought felons should have the right to vote once they’re released. "I think we disenfranchise to many voters."
"I don’t think they should be allowed to vote," Bobby Jo of Trenton said. "After being convicted, can we really trust them to vote for us?"
"I feel they should have the right to vote," a Burlington woman who would give only the initials R.C.W. explained. "That’s all part of felons becoming productive citizens in their communities."
That, and trolling for votes among trolls, who will know how to get around or break laws to troll for more votes, without compunction.
Sounds like your typical government employee to me.
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