SHOULD FELONS BE ABLE TO VOTE?

By: Janell White

WHAT IS A FELON?....

THE RIGHT TO VOTE……

A term by which members of a democratic

society express how they want the society to

operate, pick the rules the society lives by

and decides the official who govern the

society.

WHERE DOES RESTRICTING THE RIGHT TO VOTE COME FROM

Restricting the right to vote is not a new, up-

to-date term, it comes from an ancient Greek

and Roman term that means “civil death.”

RICHARDSON VS. RAMIREZ

It was a 6-3 decision.

They decided that it did not violate the equal

protection clause.

Since then, thirteen states have lessened

voting restrictions for felons

RESTORING A FELONS’ RIGHT TO VOTE

In all fifty states, most felons can have their

voting rights restored once they have

completed their sentence.

The most tolerate states are Vermont and

Maine, where felons do not lose their voting

privileges and can even vote in jail.

KRAJICK’S THEORY

Voting is not a privilege; it is the basic right that

defines a citizen.

People who have paid their debts to society

should have their right restored.

To prevent felons from voting, especially after

their release from prison, unfairly punishes them

twice for the same crime

FACTS

Felons who vote are fifty percent less likely to

be re-arrested.

Virginia has 377,847 felons in and out of

prison who cannot vote.

Eighty percent responded to a saying that

felons should automatically have their rights

restored.

MY OPINION

Felons should have the right to vote in and

out of prison.

An ex-con pays higher debt to society by

doing time and should suffer no further

punishment, by not having the ability to vote.

VIDEO

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2009/06/23/last.word.06.23.cnn?iref=videosearch

WORKS CITED

“Felons.”msn encarta dictionary. 28 Aug. 2009

encarta.msn.com/dictionary

Feser, Edward. “Should Felons Vote.” City Journal. 2 Sept 2009

http://www.city-journal.com

Knowles, Bryan. “Should Convicted Felons Have Voting

Rights.” speakout. 1 Sept 2009

http://speakout.com/actism/issue

Krajick, Kevin. “Why Can’t Ex-Felons Vote. “The Washington

Post.” 4 Sept 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com