FL Slow to Restore Felon Voting Rights
Florida deserves credit for liberalizing its voting laws to restore voting rights to ex-felons who have finished their sentences. Florida deserves criticism for failing to take the new law seriously.
Fred Schuknecht, the director of administration for the Florida Clemency Board, acknowledged in an interview that there was a backlog of 60,000 former felons who could potentially have their rights restored, but must first be reviewed by the agency. Despite the fact that 3,500 newly released prisoners are added to the caseload every month, the Legislature cut 20 percent of the staff devoted to felony voter restoration cases, Mr. Schuknecht said.
With a presidential election on the horizon, what a perfect time to cut the staff needed to restore voting rights. Way to go, Florida.
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