Law stopping Florida felons from voting temporarily halted
The Associated Press
BOBBY CAINA CALVAN
Oct 20th 2019 7:47PM
A federal judge issued a ruling Friday temporarily blocking a Republican-backed Florida law that barred some felons from voting because of their inability to pay fines and other legal debts.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle could pave the way for thousands of felons who were denied the right to vote to regain the ability to cast ballots unless the state gets a higher court to intervene or if Hinkle later upholds the constitutionality of the state law.
At issue is whether Florida lawmakers can require released felons to first pay all outstanding fines, restitution and other legal debts before they can regain the right to vote under last year's voter-approved Amendment 4.
Hinkle was particularly sympathetic to arguments made by lawyers representing disenfranchised felons who asserted that the financial requirement was akin to a poll tax.
With Florida's history of close races, the case is not an inconsequential one. Democrats and Republicans alike have sought to develop an advantage at the ballot box. With next year's high stakes presidential election looming, Florida will likely again be an intensely fought battleground.
Studies have shown disenfranchisement tends to take more votes from Democratic candidates, but it is unclear which party re-enfranchised felons are more likely to support in Florida.
While Hinkle appeared to recognize the state's authority to stipulate that fines and other debts must be paid before a criminal sentence can be considered completed, he said "the last word will belong to the Florida Supreme Court."
The state's high court could very well entertain that question when it considers the law as part of a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis for an advisory opinion.
Hinkle said that was not an issue that he was ready to answer as part of his ruling for a temporary injunction against the state.
Both sides are expected to begin pleading their full case before Hinkle in April. Even then, the case could be far from final because of appeals.
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