Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesThe 11th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Florida in a controversial Friday decision.The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that Florida can now order people with past felony convictions to fully pay off their fines before they will be allowed to register to vote, effectively disenfranchising thousands of the state's low-income residents.
The court's decision could potentially have a profound effect on the upcoming Nov. 3 general election, in which Florida is considered ain the race between President Trump, a Republican, and his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. Pryor continued:"With the passage of Amendment 4, Florida took a second step, reenfranchising those felons who were not convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense and who had satisfied an express condition—the 'completion of all terms of [their] sentence.' Our role in the constitutional system is simply to review that step for compliance with the Constitution, not to lengthen its stride.
That does seem to be the point.
How does voting have anything to do with paying a fine? I can file bankruptcy and get rid of all my debt and still vote. This is just a poll tax. GOP and GOP judges hate democracy.
This doesn’t seem very constitutional LoL
I hope realDonaldTrump isn't going to vote in FL. His broke ass couldn't pay a parking ticket.
We donated to help! There is a website and even lebron james donated. 🤍
Where's Bloomberg or GoFundMe? They should step up to pay the fines.
tonetalks Blame the democrats 4 this situation. Let us go back to the 94 crime bill and who was most impacted. Basically the democrats threw away black male voters as a consequence. These men would have voted 4 democrats in high numbers.
Bloomberg are you hearing this?
The Neo-Liberal establishments collective wet-dream is the Emasculated Black Male. BarackObama SpeakerPelosi HillaryClinton championed LGBTQ+ cases before the USSC. Remaining silent as the Roberts Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, which primarily benefit black communities.
USSC consistently supports NEO-LIBERAL cases that primarily benefits White Americans. - Abortion - LGBTQ+ - Qualified Immunity USSC consistently undermines Voting Rights cases, which primarily benefits Black Americans. Thus maintaining: WhitePrivilege WhiteSupremacy
Where are the Constitutional lawyers? I remember attempts to install poll taxes were overturned from ages past.
KingJames ShannonSharpe
More attempts to suppress the VOTE!!!
And this is not a poll tax because.....
Sounds like nit picking in order to suppress the vote.
Corporations 327 People 0
At it again. MONEY should not be a barrier to voting. VotingIsARight Extortion
And that is precisely the reason the decision was made...
There's something Michael Bloomberg can do with his money.
Oprah and Ellen are going to pay everyone of those motherfucking fines
That's too bad, I I know Biden and Harris were counting on the felon vote.
This is vote extortion
Instead of the Supreme Court taking up birth control issues for the 100th time. They would serve better by taking this issue up. Doesn’t smell right.
Everybody needs to vote early and hand deliver your ballots
Good. Make them pay their debt to society. After that let them have their ability to vote back. They broke the social contract. They need to work to put themselves back in good standing.
Who cares about felons paying fines or restitution to those they’ve hurt?!? We need sleepy Joe to win because orange man bad.
Discriminating against those who struggle economically is a form of voter suppression. It is also a form of oppression.
DebJHolley Their sentencing would have to include paying their fines and for most of them, probably did.
Why are convicted felons voting?
We have got to make sure RBG is off the court.
Maybe you can pay off fines, MikeBloomberg and help win FL?
Rigging the vote any way they can. FL legislation REQUIRES the state provide a system for felons to find out how much they owe. But natch, Trumpster DeSantis has yet to put one in place.
Poll tax?
ProjectLincoln These are the same people who don’t want to pay taxes and want superior representation.
Another excuse to disenfranchise people.
More voter suppression dots to go in the map.
Poll TAX.
This is a criminal act by the GOP! So angry, so wrong.
Poll tax
Isn't that a poll tax?
With a nod to the “good old days” of debtors prison?
Paging MikeBloomberg
How Sweet,Just In Time!😂👍😉😏
No issues with this. Do the crime, pay the fine! Take responsibility and pay your bills. Then maybe you can show your responsible enough to vote.
The will of the voters was unambiguous. I hope these vote suppressing legislators feel their wrath come November.
Jeff Bezos - step up and pay these voters fines. JeffBezos
So trump wants pay to play.
How many people owe how much?
MikeBloomberg Wanna help out here?!
Party your debt to society then you’ll be allowed to rejoin. Not hard
Voter Suppression. As American as baseball or Apple pie
They have to come up with some obstacle
But if you don't need to prove your identity to vote how will they know?
I find this ridiculous Gov. Desantis will do anything to show his loyalty to Trump. That is why Trump changed his residency from NY to FL. Many convict felons don't even have jobs because companies don't want to hire them. Disgusting!
We are supposed to be an example what democracy looks like, but we do a poor ass job. It's a constitutional right to vote
That is a poll tax. Florida's law is bullshit.
Get Bloomberg and Co. to step in and clear the debts.
Voter suppression in all its 'glory'. And, so much for giving felons right to vote. Didn't Ron DeathSantis brag about making positive changes to prison reforms?
Following the Constitution often has profound effects on elections.
This is so ridiculous. People in Florida VOTED FOR THIS, and Republicans are trying to restrict something mandated by their own constituents.
EmpathyNow
Save your money...this a poll tax... I am sure the Supreme Court will rule it down.
When I voted for them to be able to voted, I don’t remember it saying they had to pay fines. This is a poll tax.
emilybazelon NinaTotenberg Emily or Nina can you explain this? The effect is awful. But why is this possible.
All felons should have the right to vote including those excluded in Florida’s recent decision .. our constitution demands that all Americans have the sovereign right to vote.
Voting is a RIGHT.
How is this even legal
As did previous poll taxes. Thanks John Roberts.
Criminal, unconscionable, abominable.
Dont commit crimes and you wont have any problems
How can I adopt a Florida felon with modest fines?
I'm pretty sure in a previous article it was reported Florida could not even say how much reach person owes because the state themselves aren't certain.
Agree. You i’ve been officially served your time once all fees have been paid.🤷♂️
This is some Pay To Play, bullshit, poll tax.
Isn't this like um, normal.
Seems to me that the Dems should fund raise like crazy to pay down the smaller of these court fines (presumably there are former felons which much higher and much lower court fines).
Republicans once again go against the States Ballot initiative They can only win if they cheat and limit the quantity of votes
KingJames elonmusk JeffBezos MikeBloomberg hey you guys have some extra money to help democracy ?
Meh. I think this issue gets WAY overblown as far as how many 'actual likely voters' are hurt.
Create a GoFundMeCharity to pay fines of past felons!
Does this mean that federal tax debts could be used to disenfranchise any voter in the United States?
Criminalized poverty, for profit prison industry, and to top it off tie it all to a poll tax. Jim crow 21st century style.
FYI for those making nasty comments under this thread
Where is Mike Bloomberg?
MikeBloomberg please help...
I thought poll taxes were illegal. I guess not when Rethuglikkkans control SCOTUS. Then again, these are the same idiotsthat think corporations are people.
No wonder criminals support this loonies.
Felons who have paid their debt to society should certainly be able to vote, buy if their fines are unpaid, they have literally not paid their debt to society. Any political group or candidate that relies on deep criminals for an electoral victory is flawed beyond description.
Call their bluff. Let’s pay those fines!
Well the TheDemocrats are good at buying votes, maybe they will just lay the fines for them.
Bloomberg or Steyer should pay their fines.
If this bothers you, here's a way to help:
Wonder why 🙄 You guys embarrassing
Can we get a list of folks affected? What's the total bill?
TELL US HOW TO PAY THEIR FINES
... it's called a poll tax, and it's unconstitutional as fuck.
It just never stops
It’s a poll tax
The judges deciding this were radical right trump and MoscowMitch appointees.
Conservatives never miss an opportunity to block citizens from voting.
That’s not what we voted for. Shame on DeSantis and the rest of our Republican State representatives.
KingJames please can you help !
*could potentially reverse a profound effect
This would be a great use of MikeBloomberg’s millions. Clear those fines, Mike! I’ll even pitch in!
SHOULD NEVER VOTE/
yo JoeBiden , maybe offer to pony up the cash for this? for all of this? campaign has a lot of it, and i would think assuring the MAX of people voting is what helps us the most.
Pay up criminals
Wait a minute.. What kind of shit is this florida court system brewin' , CORRUPTION ? Let me understand this GovRonDeSantis It's LEGAL for an incarcerated person to Vote , but it's NOT okay once they're released into society? You can NOT deny anyone's legal right to vote !
This country is absolutely broken and rotten to the core my stomach is in knots daily because of the helplessness I feel and sure many others feel the same way.
Some wealthy folks could offer to pay some of these fines to help people vote. BillGates Oprah
Fines are part of sentencing, part of the punishment, and part of paying your debt to society for your crimes. Full satisfaction of the sentence should be required before full rights are restored.
This is voter suppression.
The specific text of the law was 'completion of all terms of [their] sentence.' Unless they were SENTENCED by a Judge to specific fines, then this decision is blatantly in contradiction of the law. These so-called judges are corrupt and unfit to serve.
Boo hoo. They are felons for a reason. Of course, Democrats think that means they are too stupid to vote for Republicans which is why they want them voting.
We need a Go Fund Me page for Florida Felon Fines.
'Obstruct the Vote! Obstruct the vote, baby!' ReallyAmerican1 ProjectLincoln BrvHrt09
Does the offer from LeBron to pay these fines still stand?
Some organizations need to step up and help.
This will not stand on the legal merits alone. polltax Florida
Any big donors out there who want to make a donation that will really count BidenHarris2020
If they ignored harmless drug charges and focused on tax criminals/billionaires, i'd be in favor of this
So people have to pay to vote. okaaaaaay.
Bullshit ACLU splcenter CREWcrew
Where are all those millions that Bloomberg promised?
This is a poll tax by any other name. Egregious.
Poll tax. Fines have nothing to do with voting.
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