Florida’s voting laws and the rights of convicted criminals were spotlighted during a segment of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,’’ hosted by John Oliver.
There are 6 million people nationally who are barred from voting because felony disenfranchise laws, and a disproportionate 1.5 million of those people live in Florida, according to the British show host.
The video segment on YouTube received over 155,000 views on Monday morning.
Florida is one of four states where convicted felons are stripped of voting rights for life, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
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Oliver pointed out that Florida does have a process where felons can apply to receive their rights back, which involves a five- to seven-year waiting period and arguing a case before a clemency board, made up of Gov. Rick Scott and members of his Cabinet.
“If you’re a convicted felon, than you have lost your rights, so there should be a process to get those rights back,” Scott says in the video. “I think it’s fair to the rest of the citizens of the state, and they’ll see a process they know will work.”
Oliver countered in his report by saying serving your sentence should suffice.
Florida’s felony disenfranchise laws were taken to task by a group of lawyers representing prisoners in July when they presented arguments to a three-judge panel in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, whose territory includes Florida.
The group sued Scott last year after applications to restore voting rights were turned down.
Florida’s system was ruled unconstitutional and possibly influenced by politics and racial factors. Changes were ordered but were later blocked by the appeals court.
There is an amendment on the November 2018 Florida ballot, Amendment 4, which would restore the voting rights to people with felony convictions who have completed their sentences.
jpedersen@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5268 or @JoeMarPedersen on Twitter
