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posted by takyon on Sunday July 24 2016, @11:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the better-luck-next-cycle dept.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/22/487107922/virginia-court-overturns-order-that-restored-voting-rights-to-felons

McAuliffe had issued a sweeping executive order in April that affected 206,000 ex-offenders in the state.

In a 4-3 ruling, the state's justices said under the state constitution, McAuliffe didn't have the authority for such a proclamation.

[...] Nothing stops the governor from granting rights to felons on an individual basis, but the justices said it was unconstitutional to do it through a blanket order.

[...] Under McAuliffe's order, the restoration of rights only extended to felons who have finished serving their terms — anyone in prison, or on supervised probation or parole, was still barred from voting. The order also granted felons the right to serve on juries and become a notary.

[...] He also noted that most states allow felons who have completed their terms to vote — Iowa, Kentucky and Florida are the only other exceptions.

[...] "Republicans suspect the real motive for McAuliffe's order is political," [NPR's] Pam [Fessler] reported [earlier this month]. "The governor is a close ally of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who could benefit from more African-American voters if the race in Virginia is tight. McAuliffe denied that was his reason for issuing the order."


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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Monday July 25 2016, @01:04AM

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Monday July 25 2016, @01:04AM (#379608) Journal

    Beyond the tweet I linked with Hillary supporting the VA governor, I have found that, yes, Hillary HAS campaigned on the issue:

    http://addictinginfo.org/2016/04/22/hillary-clinton-calls-for-federal-effort-to-restoring-voting-rights-to-felons-video/ [addictinginfo.org]

    Sheeeeit

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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday July 25 2016, @05:04AM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Monday July 25 2016, @05:04AM (#379658) Journal

    Either this or the tweet by itself amounts to nothing. Together, they almost add up to something. Now - how long was she in office in New York? How many times did she propose something like this while sitting around in Washington, drawing a fat check as a representative? Did she author or sponsor a bill for it?

    • (Score: 2) by takyon on Monday July 25 2016, @08:05AM

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Monday July 25 2016, @08:05AM (#379695) Journal

      New York isn't one of the states that permanently denies voting rights to ex-felons.

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      • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday July 25 2016, @09:21AM

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Monday July 25 2016, @09:21AM (#379715) Journal

        WHile literally true, your statement here is irrelevant. Clinton was in a position to have a federal law passed, and made no effort to do so. Errrr - slight correction. She was in a position to have a bill introduced that might result in a federal law regulating the felon right to vote. She did nothing.