Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Judge Orders FL Executive Clemency Board to Establish New Voting Rights Restoration Process


U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker issued a Permanent Injunction that Requires Florida’s Executive Clemency Board to establish a New Voting Rights Restoration Process for former Felons by April 26th.

While the Court did not Order the Automatic Restoration of Voting Rights for any former Felons, he instructed the Clemency Board to establish “specific and neutral criteria to direct vote-restoration decisions,” and “meaningful, specific, and expeditious time constraints” for the Voting Rights Restoration Process.

The Opinion suggested under any New System no one should have to Wait more than an Election Cycle for a Decision on their Application.

The Court stated this Relief “is appropriate to ensure that Florida’s vote-restoration scheme is no longer based on unfettered discretion.”

Fair Elections Legal Network and the Law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, Counsel for the Plaintiffs in Hand v. Scott, filed the Lawsuit in March 2017.

In February 2018, Judge Walker ruled Florida’s Arbitrary Voting Rights Restoration process for Persons with Felony Convictions violates the 1st and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Florida is still permitted to Deny the Right to Vote to Persons with Felony Convictions, and Felons still cannot Register or Vote until that Right is Restored.

CLICK HERE to read the 22 page (pdf) Order.










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