Crist makes it easier for Florida's felons to vote Posted on Thu, Aug. 28, 2008 print<http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/v-print/story/661189.html> email<http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/v-emailform/story/661189.html> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/661189.html> Digg<http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.miamiherald.com/775/story/661189.html> del.icio.us <http://del.icio.us/post> AIM<aim:goim?Message=http://www.miamiherald.com/775/story/661189.html> By BILL KACZOR Associated Press Writer Related Content
- Florida civil rights restoration Web site<http://www.flrestoremyrights.com/> TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Charlie Crist made it easier for felons to vote Wednesday, but advocates questioned why he waited so long. Crist issued an executive order that requires officials to include voter registration applications when they send out rights restoration certificates to convicts who have completed their sentences. The order also provides convicts who have completed their sentences with better access to information about restoring their civil rights by posting more of it on the Internet. The rights of Florida's nonviolent felons are automatically restored some time after release. Violent felons have to go through an application process. Thousands of ex-convicts have had their rights restored but don't know it, or don't realize they are eligible to register as voters. The state has been unable to notify them because it has lost track of them. Released felons can use the Parole Commission's new Web site to check their status and in some cases print out their rights restoration certificate, which they can present to election officials. "The changes made today will allow ex-offenders to immediately register to vote and participate in the democratic process," Crist said. Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, said he was pleased with the governor's order but that its effect has been diminished because there's only five weeks left to register for the Nov. 4 election. The last day is Oct. 6. "This was a lost opportunity," said ACLU lawyer Muslima Lewis. "Had he issued today's executive order when we asked him to do so more than eight months ago, thousands more Floridians would have benefited." Since taking office last year, Crist has led efforts to speed up the restoration of voting and other civil rights for felons who have completed their sentences. Crist chairs the Executive Clemency Board, which voted in April 2007 to lift procedural barriers. Since then more than 120,000 ex-offenders have had their rights restored. The Parole Commission's Web site now includes access to information about rights restoration and a link to the state's voter registration site. -- "Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change." - Malcolm X, Malcolm X Speaks, 1965 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Black Focus Inc." group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Black-Focus-Inc?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
