– Millions of Americans face voting restrictions because of felony convictions. But Donald Trump doesn’t.
The conversation surrounding voting rights for people convicted of a felony has grown louder since the conviction in May of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Millions of Americans face voting restrictions because of felony convictions. But Trump doesn’t face such restrictions − at least for now − because Florida, where he has his legal residence, defers to voting eligibility laws in the state where a person was convicted.
In Trump’s case, because he was convicted in New York and New York allows felons to vote if they are not in prison, the former president can still cast a ballot in November.
Yet, many other potential voters in Florida are not so fortunate. In Florida, civil rights, including voting, are restored only after the completion of a sentence. Some states, including Maine and Vermont, allow felons to vote in presidential elections even while they are incarcerated.
***4 million Americans can’t vote because of convictions***
I understand if you do the crime you have to do the time. Yet, many of the people barred from voting have completed their sentences but still cannot vote because their civil rights have not been restored.
States with the most restrictive laws, such as Florida and Alabama, have high rates of voter disenfranchisement. In Florida, more than 1 million people have lost the right to vote, including many who are disenfranchised because they can’t afford to pay court fees or restitution.
Even after Florida voters approved Amendment 4 in 2018, the restoration of civil rights for individuals who have completed their sentences still isn’t automatic in many cases.
Desmond Meade, president and executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, said misconceptions about their legal rights keep many people with past convictions from voting.
“People (convicted felons) don’t vote because they aren’t sure if they can and are afraid of being arrested,” Meade told me.
He said losing your civil rights, including the eligibility to vote, is dehumanizing.
“It’s like wearing a scarlet letter,” Meade said. “I wasn’t allowed to sit for the bar examine until my civilrights were restored, despite graduating from law school.”
***Voter disenfranchisement affects outcome of elections***
Meade said disenfranchising people convicted of felonies is a modern tool of voter suppression, one that limits the political power of specific demographic groups and skews electoral outcomes.
I asked if the former president’s felony conviction might prompt change if he is reelected in November. Meade replied: “I hope if Trump gets elected, he would be more supportive of criminal justice reform initiatives.”
Restricting voting rights for those with felony convictions disenfranchises the demographic groups most affected by mass incarceration. If more people with felony convictions were able to vote, the electoral map might look a lot different, as there would be a stronger representation of marginalized communities in states like Florida and Texas.
The discussion over voting rights reflects a broader conversation we need to have about social justice,rehabilitation and civic duty. Continuing to impose harsh restrictions, even after the end of a person’s sentence, leaves millions of Americans voiceless in the electoral process.
The right to vote should be a universal principle, not one restricted by the inequities of the criminal justice system.
——
**For any new voters or voters with questions – from helping voters to register, verify their registration, request a mail-in ballot, sign up for election reminders, to finding their polling location and staying up to date on the laws or policies that affect their ability to vote – visit [Vote.org](https://www.vote.org) to learn everything you need to know about voting.** 🗳️✅
ABL67 on
The law caters to the rich.
wildyam on
Just put him in prison and it’s all resolved. How’s he getting on clearing all that bailed fine money he owes?
Naive_Inspection7723 on
I thought he lived in Florida, why is he voting in New York?
Dramatic-Wasabi4725 on
I call bullshit
SKOLMN1984 on
He hasn’t fulfilled his sentence, he shouldn’t be able to vote…
DementiaInsomnia on
Tell me we live in a racist, white privilege-fueled shithole country without telling me we live in a racist white privilege-fueled shithole country
Mean_Alternative1651 on
Screw him voting. The fact he’s able to run for president is disturbing
Commercial-Walrus638 on
Can’t he be convicted of voter fraud?
ThickDickCT on
felons can only vote for president, if you were registered before getting your felony you retain the right to vote for the president only. he was previously registered. big fucking deal
Strong-Educator2390 on
This is a GOP law. The GOP, takes your constitutional rights away.
They spit on the Constitution
PDgenerationX on
Eat the rich.
tempelton_the_peeg on
Good. That’s most of maga. The rest died of covid. Now all they have is the lunacy that is hard core maga. Red hat=brown shirt
No_Guest186 on
Why?
jcooli09 on
The reason he shouldn’t be able to vote is because he intentionally incited an insurrection with the goal of over throwing what he knew to be a legitimate election.
He should spend a decade in an 8×10 cell, and if he comes out of that he shouldn’t be able to hold a government job, contract, or elected office and never be able to vote.
‘
FirstWonder8785 on
Felons not being allowed to vote is in general a serious threat to democracy. It allows a party to lock in a permanent advantage by criminalizing something their opponents’ supporters are more likely to do, and then deny them sufferage. In my country every prison has a polling booth, and every inmate who is a citizen has the right to vote.
536am on
Of course republican politicians are above the law .
K16w32a2r4k8 on
It’s a plot to reduce minority voting. Find out what they like to do, make it a felony, then take voting rights from felons.
19 Comments
As per [original article](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/09/30/trump-felony-conviction-voting-rights/75339894007/) 📰:
– Millions of Americans face voting restrictions because of felony convictions. But Donald Trump doesn’t.
The conversation surrounding voting rights for people convicted of a felony has grown louder since the conviction in May of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Millions of Americans face voting restrictions because of felony convictions. But Trump doesn’t face such restrictions − at least for now − because Florida, where he has his legal residence, defers to voting eligibility laws in the state where a person was convicted.
In Trump’s case, because he was convicted in New York and New York allows felons to vote if they are not in prison, the former president can still cast a ballot in November.
Yet, many other potential voters in Florida are not so fortunate. In Florida, civil rights, including voting, are restored only after the completion of a sentence. Some states, including Maine and Vermont, allow felons to vote in presidential elections even while they are incarcerated.
***4 million Americans can’t vote because of convictions***
More than [4 million Americans](https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/locked-out-2022-estimates-of-people-denied-voting-rights/) are prohibited from voting because of felony convictions.
I understand if you do the crime you have to do the time. Yet, many of the people barred from voting have completed their sentences but still cannot vote because their civil rights have not been restored.
States with the most restrictive laws, such as Florida and Alabama, have high rates of voter disenfranchisement. In Florida, more than 1 million people have lost the right to vote, including many who are disenfranchised because they can’t afford to pay court fees or restitution.
Even after Florida voters approved Amendment 4 in 2018, the restoration of civil rights for individuals who have completed their sentences still isn’t automatic in many cases.
Desmond Meade, president and executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, said misconceptions about their legal rights keep many people with past convictions from voting.
“People (convicted felons) don’t vote because they aren’t sure if they can and are afraid of being arrested,” Meade told me.
He said losing your civil rights, including the eligibility to vote, is dehumanizing.
“It’s like wearing a scarlet letter,” Meade said. “I wasn’t allowed to sit for the bar examine until my civilrights were restored, despite graduating from law school.”
***Voter disenfranchisement affects outcome of elections***
Meade said disenfranchising people convicted of felonies is a modern tool of voter suppression, one that limits the political power of specific demographic groups and skews electoral outcomes.
I asked if the former president’s felony conviction might prompt change if he is reelected in November. Meade replied: “I hope if Trump gets elected, he would be more supportive of criminal justice reform initiatives.”
Restricting voting rights for those with felony convictions disenfranchises the demographic groups most affected by mass incarceration. If more people with felony convictions were able to vote, the electoral map might look a lot different, as there would be a stronger representation of marginalized communities in states like Florida and Texas.
The discussion over voting rights reflects a broader conversation we need to have about social justice,rehabilitation and civic duty. Continuing to impose harsh restrictions, even after the end of a person’s sentence, leaves millions of Americans voiceless in the electoral process.
The right to vote should be a universal principle, not one restricted by the inequities of the criminal justice system.
——
**For any new voters or voters with questions – from helping voters to register, verify their registration, request a mail-in ballot, sign up for election reminders, to finding their polling location and staying up to date on the laws or policies that affect their ability to vote – visit [Vote.org](https://www.vote.org) to learn everything you need to know about voting.** 🗳️✅
The law caters to the rich.
Just put him in prison and it’s all resolved. How’s he getting on clearing all that bailed fine money he owes?
I thought he lived in Florida, why is he voting in New York?
I call bullshit
He hasn’t fulfilled his sentence, he shouldn’t be able to vote…
Tell me we live in a racist, white privilege-fueled shithole country without telling me we live in a racist white privilege-fueled shithole country
Screw him voting. The fact he’s able to run for president is disturbing
Can’t he be convicted of voter fraud?
felons can only vote for president, if you were registered before getting your felony you retain the right to vote for the president only. he was previously registered. big fucking deal
This is a GOP law. The GOP, takes your constitutional rights away.
They spit on the Constitution
Eat the rich.
Good. That’s most of maga. The rest died of covid. Now all they have is the lunacy that is hard core maga. Red hat=brown shirt
Why?
The reason he shouldn’t be able to vote is because he intentionally incited an insurrection with the goal of over throwing what he knew to be a legitimate election.
He should spend a decade in an 8×10 cell, and if he comes out of that he shouldn’t be able to hold a government job, contract, or elected office and never be able to vote.
‘
Felons not being allowed to vote is in general a serious threat to democracy. It allows a party to lock in a permanent advantage by criminalizing something their opponents’ supporters are more likely to do, and then deny them sufferage. In my country every prison has a polling booth, and every inmate who is a citizen has the right to vote.
Of course republican politicians are above the law .
It’s a plot to reduce minority voting. Find out what they like to do, make it a felony, then take voting rights from felons.
I am so sick of this double standard